My Word for 2016

Dear Diary,

Every January 1st I choose a word for the year...a word that will be my focus for the coming months.  Last year it was "Immerse" and I did just that with my pond series and my genealogical research.  This year I chose the word "Explore".  I want to focus on re-acquainting myself with the New England landscape and uncovering the hidden places. 

Partly, this comes from my family research and discovering the power of landscape to shape a persons life but it also comes from an understanding that there is so much more to discover in New England, places a visited ages ago but also places yet to be experienced.  To that end, I started a new blog, A New England Wayfarer.   I have already posted three entries and I will try to do one or two a month as I poke around the beautiful New England country side.

A "wayfarer" is a traveler especially one who travels by foot but it is, for me, also one who is a restless explorer of the landscape and one who has a questing nature.  I think that pretty much describes me in a nutshell. 

So, here's to a New Year of exploring and searching and reveling in the beauty of the world around you and no matter where your wayfaring takes you this year, whether it be near to home or far away, in the words of the Irish Blessing, 

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields
and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Some ideas to make your New Year special can be found here...