Lost in America - Finding Your Place by Alison Henderson

I've never considered myself lost. I've traveled all over the world, from Ireland to Japan, and lived in 5 U.S. cities, coast-to-coast. I've found something to like about nearly every locale (except Bizerta, Tunisia. It's a hellhole). But only in the last few years have I felt I've truly found my place. 

misty hills

About five years ago, my husband and I took our first trip together to Carmel, California. I had been once before at age seventeen when my parents brought me and my sister to the West Coast to look at colleges. My strongest memories of that visit were the "scenic" motel with no TV and the famous French restaurant where we were encouraged to eat escargot (my sister acquiesced; I refused). 

After more than twenty years in Minnesota, OG and I were looking for a place that had it all: beautiful scenery, things to do, great restaurants, and above all, mild weather. Carmel fit the bill in every way. The minute we arrived, I was smitten. With every succeeding visit, I became more and more convinced that this was where I was meant to be. Eighteen months ago, fantasy became reality when we moved here full time.

Carmel Valley

The first time we drove inland from Carmel-by-the-Sea and beheld the magic of Carmel Valley, I thought I had reached Shangri-La. A deep sense of peace overwhelmed me, and I knew exactly what the poet Robinson Jeffers meant when he described his first sight of his "inevitable place". I'd like to share a few pictures to whet your appetite for a visit to my little slice of paradise.

Point Lobos

Point Lobos

Big Sur 

View from my deck

Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com 

Too Many Possibilities = Chaos? by Alison Henderson

My life is gloriously chaotic right now. Everywhere I turn, I see more possibilities. We’ve been settled (ha!) in California for ten days, and so much has happened, yet very little is complete. I did manage to purchase, register, and insure my new car, but nearly everything else is still up in the air. My hubby and I have an appointment tomorrow morning at the DMV to register his car and get new drivers’ licenses. Judging by the quality of driving I see all around me, the test should be a piece of cake.

We’ve met with the contractor who will be turning our new (but sad and worn out) house into a dream home and approved the plans, and I can’t wait to get started. I get to pick out everything new from windows, to flooring, to kitchen cabinets. Of course, the converse is that I have to pick out everything new. So many choices! So many possibilities! The mind boggles and I’ve barely started.

And then there’s the yard. The lot was completely neglected and overgrown, so last week I hired a landscaping service to attack it with chainsaws, pruners, and stump grinders. It took a small army of men three days to whip the trees into shape and clear out decades’ worth of snarled undergrowth. Now that I can see what I’m dealing with, the possibilities once again are nearly overwhelming. Where do I even begin? I started by joining the local garden club. Now I’ll be able to get advice from local experts who know the ropes.

It put me in mind of my early days as a writer. I blundered along on my own through my first manuscript, but it wasn’t until I joined RWA and my local chapter that I learned the skills necessary to produce a publishable novel. Now I rely on my writer friends, including my fellow Roses of Prose and other authors at my publisher, for the advice and support to keep me going through the ups and downs of this crazy business. Hats off you ladies! I couldn’t do it without you.

Alison

www.alisonhenderson.com

http://alisonhenderson.blogspot.com