Beauty All Around Us

Yikes!! It’s been a long time since I last posted..A LOT has happened!

After residing within a 30 mile radius of Boston Massachusetts for the first 54 years of my life, in June 2017 I started wandering…

I’ve visited 44 US States and 6 Countries :)

July 2017 – July 2019 I lived in Boulder Colorado

Summer 2019 I took a 7 week Solo Trip to Scandinavia and Ireland

Oct 2019 – Sept 2020 I lived in Bellingham Washington

Sept 30 2020 I hit the road car camping, tent camping and Airbnbs traveling for 6 months from Washington State to Massachusetts exploring lots of State and National Parks

March 2021 I landed in my home state of Massachusetts

I’m working on updating this blog in the meantime –
Please check out my Instagram @WanderingLori or
Contact me at 4LoriAnderson4@gmail.com

I can’t believe it’s been a year since I last posted. A year ago I had just returned from my 3 month solo adventure and after a very nice spring and summer, I reentered the work force working full time for the first time in 22 years. That was quite an adjustment and resulted in a lot less photo outings but I still got out and about :)

I took this photo through a window screen, I watched this mama and baby for 20 minutes as the baby screeched for food and the mama delivered 4 times!

We have the best mailman ever! Every day he greets Cooper with lots of attention and treats.

A very good friend has a home in Ogunquit Maine. It’s close enough for a day trip but we often spend a night or two. The home is on the Marginal Way and is known as the ‘home with the crooked tree’. This photo was taken from the beach in front of her home.

The home has a huge porch, perfect for viewing the main beach.

Another generous girlfriend has a home with an equally beautiful setting on Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. A group of us have been going away for a weekend for the past 12 years, always a great time.

Our dinner table at the club…what a view.

In December I was driving to do an errand and saw this scene, perfect excuse to pause and take in the beauty all around us.

In April I took another wonderful trip to Anna Maria Island FL with my Mom; sun, pool, beach, biking, walking and lots of reading. I have posted lots of photos from AMI over the years, many of the amazing sunsets but this photo was taken looking east while the sun was setting in the west.

Last month I was walking at Spy Pond in Arlington and captured this father-daughter scene, I loved how he held her and encouraged her to explore….

And I’ll end with Cooper playing hopscotch!

The last two weeks of my solo adventure involved a lot of driving, from Florida to Massachusetts. I enjoyed the drive, beautiful scenery with some terrific stops along the way. My first stop was in Savannah, Georgia. I stayed at a wonderful Airbnb property 10 minutes from Savannah and 10 minutes from Tybee Island.

This is a photo of the Airbnb property from the long boardwalk on the property, I stayed on the second floor of the building behind the main house.

The setting was gorgeous, especially at sunrise.

I then drove to Asheville, North Carolina where I was lucky enough to stay at a friend’s mountain cabin. I’ve always lived near the ocean in Massachusetts but after spending a week near Asheville, I could imagine living in the mountains!

The view from the home’s back deck.

Asheville is a great city with lots to offer including a great arts community and very good restaurants. I spent a wonderful day at The Biltmore Estate and Gardens, 8000 acres, great biking paths and lots of walking paths.

The Estate –

And beautiful gardens –

Unbelievable flowers in the greenhouse –

I took a wonderful hike at Chimney Rock, stunning views all along the way.

I also visited the North Carolina Arboretum, a 343-acre public garden. This is the quilt garden, so cool.

Driving from Asheville toward home, I drove 200 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s hard to keep your eye on the road when the scenery is so spectacular.

I ended my trip with a four night stay at an Airbnb in Great Barrington in the western part of Massachusetts. My experiences at Airbnb properties have been so positive, unique spaces with gracious hosts. While in Great Barrington I spent a day at Kripalu on a day pass and attended some great sessions, a great way to end my trip.

This trip was the trip of a lifetime. Although I do love to travel with my family and friends, I really enjoyed traveling alone. I was away from all of life’s responsibilities, I never had a to-do list, I went out every day either walking, biking or driving, I explored some parts of the country I have never seen before, had some cool experiences and made some great memories…what a gift.

My solo adventure continues…I last posted the end of February. My travels had taken me to Vermont, Beacon Hill in Boston and Cape Cod. I left Cape Cod on February 24th to start my drive south, stopping in Avon-by-the-Sea on the Jersey shore to visit my college friend Doug and his parents, a great visit.

I then drove to St Simons Island Georgia, an hour north of the Florida border. I was lucky enough to spend the month of March at my friend Sara’s vacation home.

Jekyll Island is a short drive from St. Simons, I spent a couple of days exploring this cool island. This photo was taken at Driftwood beach.

On April 1st I drove 5 hours to the airport in Sarasota Florida where I picked my mom up for our 8th annual trip to Anna Maria Island, 30 minutes from the Sarasota.

Over the past 12 weeks I biked all around St Simons Island and Anna Maria Island, kayaked, walked beaches, explored my new surroundings, attended six different church services, visited six libraries, read eight fiction books and two books on finding your second career. I watched the first season of Grace and Frankie on Netflix and two seasons of Transparent on Amazon Prime (both great shows) and ate numerous tasty meals at many different restaurants. I’ve continued to do physical therapy for my two new knees (full knee replacements on 2/13/15 and 5/26/15), I’ve continued to journal and meditate, and have done a lot of thinking…thinking about the first 52 years of my life and thinking about what’s next, what do I want to experience and accomplish in the 2nd half of my life.

It’s been amazing to have this time alone without any responsibilities or expectations from others. I’ve been able to get away from any anxiety/pressure of day-to-day life and see who I am without all of that. I’ve dug deep, shed tears, smiled, laughed and learned.

Here are my takeaways and mantras so far, gained from a weekend retreat I attended on Cape Cod, books, guided meditations, podcasts and conversations with folks along the way:

Complacency, deferring to others, and comparing myself to others will set me back and keep me from moving forward.