Clare lives in Suffolk, England.
“Gallivanta*” lives in New Zealand. (*Her nom de plume.)
They are travelers — Gallivanta to visit parents in another country, Clare to take a precious daughter to school each day and to visit her aging mother and mother-in-law.
In three months, Clare recently told us, she drove 11-thousand miles. From the same post, we learn why it’s been worth it.
Clare calmly shares her daily life with a lack of self-pity, a deep sense of gratitude and a simple grace.
Whether she writes about the trees, wild flowers or small creatures in her fields or her family or church activities, Clare’s blog reflects qualities many of us yearn for: faith, hope, perseverance, love and kindness to others – in the midst of daily and extraordinary challenges.
I wonder if Clare knows how brave she is.
Above photos from: A Suffolk Lane
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Gallivanta, too, is a mother, wife and the daughter of parents who are elderly and ailing. Anyone who has been in the latter role knows it’s tough. The emotional roller-coaster. Deciding to drop everything and go, never mind the cost and upheaval of unplanned travel.
Gallivanta’s big heart and brain are expressed in her blog regularly. She’s a beautiful writer, wise beyond words, often drawing out the meaningful and the sacred in the mundane.
My physical world has become smaller these days, and Gallivanta’s blog challenges my mind with new perspectives.
Above photos from Gallivanta’s blog
As does Clare’s. I may never take long walks through the English countryside and villages, but Clare’s photos and stories take me there.
They and other bloggers are the pen-pals of my middle years, expanding my narrowed life when I spend a few moments in their company.
No small thing, that.
So I send you these flowers, ladies, from last year’s spring garden.
I’d send you my floral arrangements but … er … I like you too much to do that.
Cynthia Reyes 
The flowers are beautiful, Cynthia! Their color and light bring joy to all, especially the travelers of this world.
Thanks, Lavinia. How are the farm and your music going?
Nice tribute and flowers Cynthia. It’s great to have friends around the globe with WordPress! I miss traveling too. Maybe this year as my finances recover. 🙂
Here’s a wish and hope for recovering finances, Brad.
Thanks!
Thanks Cynthia!
Thats a lovely way to introduce us to these two blogs Cynthia, and the flowers you have sent are really pretty. I am going over to visit them now.
Good stuff, Julie. I hope you enjoy them.
Yes I did Cynthia, thank you, its hard to find folk on here sometimes.
Cynthia, I hope you are all right?! Maybe time for the warmth of the islands?
Would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Really, hard for me to imagine moving to Canada from South Florida, not sure how you made that work?
It was a tough adjustment: snow and ice! Yikes.
I don’t know Gallivanta but I do know that Clare is everything you said she is, and I enjoy her blog too.
I know you do!
Cynthia this such a sweet post. It was lovely to meet Clare and learn a little about her life. I used to be a prolific traveller but not so much anymore. I am glad of that, in many ways. Recently another blogger suggested I listen to a TED talk by Pico Iyer on the Art of Stillness. I enjoyed it very much. This article is good too. http://www.brainpickings.org/2014/11/10/pico-iyer-the-art-of-stillness Not a new idea, really, but one that is under appreciated in our busy world. There is, of course, a difference between choosing to go nowhere and not being able to go anywhere. 😦 Your flowers spoke of cooler, refreshing days. Most welcome on a day of fierce summer heat. And your flower arrangements are not scary at all. Embrace them.
Thanks, Gallivanta. I wrote this post in either late November or early December, (just as you were leaving to see your parents again) but only added the images this week! Thanks for the link. will check it out.
Ah, I knew I could feel your good words underpinning my wings. 🙂 I am impressed with photos you chose for each of us.
I like and agree when you say Clare’s blog reflects qualities many of us yearn for: faith, hope, perseverance, love and kindness to others – in the midst of daily and extraordinary challenges. Yes, of course, that’s extraordinary challenges 😉
Merci beaucoup, Christiane.
We bloggers encourage each other. We give each other courage.
What a lovely post Cynthia. The indeed ever so wise Gallivanta and I ‘visit’ each other regularly and I will go to Clare’s blog after I have left this comment. Blogging has enriched my life too, more than I ever expected! Blogfriends are a special kind of friends, I compare it with the penpals I had when I was a teenager. With some you just shared your hobbies which was fun but with other you could quite close just by sharing stories.
Finding support, encouragement, wisdom, inspiration through blogging was something I never expected. It is wonderful to ‘meet’ lovely people from all over the world.
Thank you for celebrating Gallivanta and Clare! And I think you deserve as many beautiful flowers yourself. Have a lovely weekend, Johanna
Glad to hear you visit with Gallivanta and will also visit Clare’s blog, Johanna.
And I’m glad to see your illustrations on your own blog. I am surrounded by such talent in my blog community – it’s inspiring!
“Penpals” indeed. I feel the same way.
Thanks for being one of my penpals. And for your lovely comment.
Thank-you so much for this kind comment and for visiting my blog and the follow. I have been trying to find your blog to thank you but WordPress tell me you don’t exist! Surely not!
Here it is, Clare:
https://colorpencil2014.wordpress.com/
I had the same issue when I tried to click on her icon.
Thank-you Cynthia!
Hooray for the internet and its opportunities for souls to find each other. Kind regards to Cynthia and all of her followers!
Hey Aggie:
I just discovered why I am not getting your posts: I should have re-followed when you changed the farm’s name from Isis Farms to Aggie’s Farm. But I didn’t. So now I just clicked “Follow” and hope to hear from you and Lou regularly.
Thanks for your kind regards, Aggie, and best to you and Lou and Muskels!
Love those pics! Esp love the one of the church with that amazing stone floor and that ornate woodwork! Just lovely! BTW, any chance you could write a little something on our Save the Soils day this week? I know you love gardens and you’re such a great storyteller! Doesn’t need to be elaborate. If you can’t, no worries. Just lmk! 🙂
I will, I will! Are you writing something too?
Send me tips at: cynthia.reyes@rogers.com
Hi Cynthia–yay!!! Sorry it took me a day to catch up! Yes, I’m writing a humorous/informative piece about composting. I think personal experience stuff is always fun & entertaining. Doesn’t have to be too long. Just thinking about organic ways to protect and enhance the soil so that we save it. Also, btw, that could be saving farms, converting places to edible gardens, etc. The sky–or the earth!–is the limit! Just ping me when you have a link so I can post it on our page, too. And you can copy the logo from one of our pages, no prob. Thanks so much again for joining our little merry band of bloggers!!! 🙂
My dear Cynthia, I was so surprised to see this post and realise that you had dedicated it to me and Gallivanta. The flowers are beautiful and the words so touching. Thank-you! I don’t think I’m brave at all – I just do what I have to do and try not to think about it too much. If I thought I might not ‘do’ or I’d be cross and what’s the good in that. You are the brave one; coping with your ‘narrowed life’ and the constant pain and sleepless nights with courage and humour. I am humbled by your words and also those of the kind people who have visited my blog. I have, through you, been introduced to many more wonderful talented people living extraordinary lives – for that I thank you again. Much love, Clare x
Very inspirational! And thank you for introducing me to new blogs to read and follow!
Thank you so much, Cynthia, for introducing us to Clare and Gallivanta, two lovely people and for posting such beautiful images.
Thank you, Jean. I hope your new year goes well.
Cynthia, it’s such a treat to learn about other bloggers, to see flowers in January (even pictures of them) and to be made to chuckle by your closing words. Even a bouquet of dandelions is lovely when picked and given with love. I’m sure that any bouquet you’ve arranged and gifted is heavenly.
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
Hah! You have more faith in my crazy bouquets than I ever have!! Thanks, Wendy.
My teen daughter has been picking bouquets for our table for a dozen years. Practice makes perfect, Now her arrangements outshine mine.
You do a great job of summing up the value of our blog friendships!
Thank you. Your blog is a great read.