Empty Nest

Grief in the plan.

Children's solo guardian: expect change.

But doesn't fit, jeans sizes small. 

Throw out expensive pair or work on body?

Dropped off my son to college four weeks ago.

I didn't cry.

Kept brave.

Days slip stolen by menopause and hackers.

Found lotto tickets never checked.

Liquor store guy says, "old- if you won they won't pay."

Book of Isaiah 65?

Don't offer food and wine to the gods...
bribery spoils luck

Fortunate to adore my children.

Guiltless give them everything.

Pack up worry ~ it weeds no garden.

Revisions on the next book finished.

Begin the next story.

Please Stop by, 

share abundance of zebra striped tomatoes.

I'll give you a bag. 

Pick the herbs you need.
Sage, basil and thyme in gemstone colors.

Just don't call me an empty nester.

Caroline Gerardo
poem October 2015

Nest in the woods

Sending your children off to fly on their own

The rail road path ahead in life

I have a photo of my two on this whale when they were toddlers. Here they are now 2015 in Santa Cruz California

Hike to the waterfall north of Big Sur

On the way  home from dropping off at college hike
Caroline Gerardo Empty Nest Poem
copyright 2015

Golden Rules for Boys

My daughter is away in Ireland and I read an article about “The 20 things I have taught my son” and thought I might give my own take on this. Please add in the comments your advice you would offer as life lessons for boys. Feel free to be creative.

Sign in photograph above is from hiking this morning. This sign is actually twenty some feet from a very steep cliff that dives down into Laguna Canyon. In the fog this July 23^rd you could not see the drop, just a sign that makes no sense. Please leave some sense for teenage boys and share.

       1.       Be kind to everyone, all the time.

2.       Smile and look people in the eye when you extend your hand

3.       Learn to manage money, save half and invest in a variety of stocks, bonds and ideas

4.       Stand up straight every time you walk through a doorway

5.       Play team sports, prepare for game day with all your body and heart, learn to lose with gracious attitude then pick up and get ready for the next game

6.       Defend the weak, the bullied, and care for animals

7.       God and country mean something in your soul; understand what this is to you personally without preaching; show you care.

8.       Apologize when you are wrong, learn from you failures because understanding our big errors and changing is being great

9.       Tell the truth, it is always easier.

10.   Find a mate who is better, kinder and smarter than you are, her genetics will be important to your children, her goodness will keep together your extended family and your mutual respect will change the world.

11.   Read, learn, get good grades in everything, try college classes you might not think are exciting, school is about digging into subjects that are different from what you know and building who you are. Education is a lifetime gift you must continue to allow yourself.

12.   Keep your body in shape, don’t put junk into your mouth or lungs it needs to last through a whole bunch of trials

13.   Random things happen –good and bad, and they all pass over like a river in the big picture

14.   Friends come easy early in life, keep them around by communicating.

15.   Don’t cheat on those you love, don’t talk trash on those you love, and for heaven’s sake if you have friends of the opposite sex don’t cross that line

16.   People at work are your team to be cultivated, they are different than family

17.   Be creative it feeds everyone around you

18.   Find your passion and work a plan, a five year plan a ten year plan

19.   Manners are always important, don’t say or do anything in public you would not want your Grandmother to see or hear.

20.   The gentleman walks on the outside of the curb to protect ladies, children and the elderly.

Also on this same trail the high security dog watering bowl. Note: pot is chained to heavy rock that you would need to carry out. Or could the rock be used to smash the chain? Do I need to add never steal because it is just mean?

I love my heels sunk in astroturf

Proud Mom

Photo 8-28-2011 copyright Caroline Gerardo


Family Prayer


It is almost Fall
My favorite season
School starts in a week
We will fly down to California
Summer locked down in the prairie ends
I will miss the skys in Wyoming at daybreak,
Long rides on Shorty into the National Park across the river,
and I'll give Big Rainbow tomatoes (heirloom) fireworks in a basket to the neighbor.
I look forward with great anticpation to the days ahead, when my middle child attends High School.
The games we play, "what 'cha thinkin of?" when we reveal our true hearts as a team family together bind.
I anticipate with amazement Carson's soul growing as a strong oak tree sharing his spirit with earth.
I thank God for my blessings, for three children who I treasure more than I can speak.
Will the barn owl be here when we return before Halloween?
It will be fun to surf again at Monarch Beach,
and catch sunlight dancing in the foam.
My great fortune is wherever
I am with my children
and God is home.

Split by Swati Avasthi

Swati Avasthi's debut novel Split, recommended by my fourteen year old son. The story deals with a young boy, Jace who my son related to as a lacrosse player. The character attends anger mangement classes, suffers an abusive homelife and runs away to find an estranged brother. He dreams to someday have his own place where no one will tell him what to do.
My son read this one in one evening. He enjoyed the run.