Friday, 08-May-2026 through Wednesday, 13-May-2026

It’s been a bit since I’ve been out to New England – and what better reason to go back than to celebrate Mother’s Day? I’d been meaning to go back to visit my Mom and Grandma, and this was the perfect opportunity for not only a good family visit, but also for a bit of an escape from Ireland – a road trip, and catching up with friends…


It moved from the dirt, to the tops of the shrubs.

See, Mother’s day this year was focused on gardening. After helping my Mom with the garden there, I hopped in a car and drove my way West, into Upstate New York, to visit my Grandma.

The drive, to be clear, was part of the trip – an intended and critical part of the trip. I adore driving – it’s one of my methods of meditation, and the road let’s me relax in ways that other activities don’t. My body is occupied, and my mind is free to wander, to process, and to make connections and understandings that I’d otherwise miss out on.

I drove, and I drove, and the miles vanished under the wheels. After a while, I arrived.

Dinner was had, and stories were shared. The main goal here was to visit – to simply spend time, without goals and without requirements. The time passed enjoyably – we got to visit, we watched a movie about a vineyard and a sommelier, and we spent time together.

In symmetry with the previous stage of the visit, I helped out in the garden again – this time, checking the health of the nearby trees, and pulling some Virginia Creepers off a Rhododendron bush.

Turns out, by the way, that I’m slightly sensitive to said Virginia Creepers. Got a nice rash on my unprotected forearms, which was a little bit worrying… but thankfully not any real major concern, as it washed away after a day or so.

Thankfully, the positive memories won’t be washing away anytime soon. It was a brief visit, but I can’t express just how thankful I am to have been able to take it.