spring radio funtimes

greetings from the deep down basement at wvvy!

this radio station is one of my favorite things ever.. totally volunteer, i do my show every weds night 9-11 est. last year i took it quasi-seriously and made up the show the night before, but this summer, it's total freeform-i prefer this!!! spring has been in full effect here on the vineyard-rainy cold days, blustery&blowy hot days, total rain days... springtime splendor! i am getting into my summer rotation, the schedule is filling up with various engagements with the choir, disc golf, and loads of other glorious adventures! my pal kate allen is coming to be a garden angel!! i met her at pole and she's amazing, she will be a perfect addition to our already tops crew... this is turning out to be a summer we will never forget!!!  i have found that so far i will be going over my allotted time for this show and going till 11:30 at least, although i am dog tired when i'm on my way here, as soon as i get in here i am energized and want to play MORE!!!! and the fellow who follows me doesn't show 'till 12:30! i am gettin into some post 11 dance grooves!!! gotta go!! hoe you all are enjoying the wonders of spring!!! take care! karengrace* 

springin'

driving the crew to gardening bliss

vineyard haven harbor
jennie's miniature rescue ponies
gnorman
the nuthatcher's stone hut
aaahhhhhhh
chico shine!
greetings from another lovely spring day on mv!

i am adjusting back into a routine of animals and old friends. i didn't realize how i'd taken the comfort of familiarity for granted, and my settling in has taken longer than i expected. i didn't think i'd be experiencing quite the culture shock that is my reality, when i tell ice stories i feel like i'm recalling stories i've heard from a friend, and i'm delighted when i realise that these are my stories!! we have been blessed with chilly, but sunny weather which has enabled us to be in the gardens for wake up bliss. i am surrounded by all sorts of animals and this has helped me to recover from my furry friend withdraw while away. there's a great place to catch some seriously cute baby lambs  @ www.fiberfarm.com/lambcam

i also just got my radio show back and will be streaming live on weds from 9 to 11 pm (est) 

@ wvvy.org    my show is 'grace space' we don't archive shows yet, but if you're near a computer, check it out! 

our slave spirituals choir will begin singing again this may and for a brief statement of what we do check out      www.us-slavesongs.org

i hope this transmission finds you all well and enjoying whichever faze of spring you may find yourself in! take care, karengrace*

island home

sweet atlanta blossoms
nancy boy- he's so sweet but looks so serious...
cole and marin in their backyard in atl
sweet finn 
gnorman in my backyard on mv
poppy belle with her afternoon snack!
our cutting garden-woken up and ready to GROW!

charlotte, jennie and me...power angels!
geese on icehouse pond

what we do.
greetings from martha's vineyard!

i made it and completely enjoyed the ride!  i got here on sat evening to hang with jennie and mere (my 2 best pals here) and brunched and such on sunday. i spent mon. doing tax/car things and got into the gardens today and had a great dinner w/ mere and dave! i have truly arrived... i am living w/mere (meredith) in a beautiful home in vineyard haven w/ her 2 dogs-basingi's...they are sweet boys and their breed is an african bark-less sort!!! i am settling in, although everything i own is on the floor and i am yet to find places for my belongings... i am home.  

i'll begin from where i left off in atl.  i then drove up to hendersonville, nc-which is just s. of aseville to play with my pals nichols, josh and their son, finn.  i spent 2 days with them enjoying fires in the back yard, big black chickens with a name i cannot remember and catching up.  i then made my way up to asheville (only 30 mins) and had an amazing dinner at the restaurant my pals own called 'table' it's downtown and definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!  i spent the next 2 nights w/ my pals karin and matthew who i went to warren wilson with ages ago.  on thurs. i had baby times with josh and cody and vivi and lots of other babies who came over to play.  i then went to hang with ian and grant-amazing bright and cheery twins. we enjoyed pizza that night and i was off the next morning! i drove from asheville to the ny, pa, nj border...it was quite a long day, but great conditions to drive-overcast and cool on I-84 through the mountains...lovely! i made it to the boat at woods hole by 4pm sat. and got on the next boat w/o a reservation... the blessing of march! .... and the rest is history! i am excited to get into the gardens and back to the coffee shop, mocha motts. our work in the gardens is definitely weather dependant this time of year, but today was the perfect day, between 45-50 and bright sunshine. i have certainly arrived before spring has thought about touching the vineyard, so i get to have the whole thing!!! my body is a little out of wack - from fall to spring to winter to fall to spring. we are all very excited here, we feel a GREAT summer is upon us and it just gets better everyday!! i hope this finds you all well and enjoying the splendors of spring!! take care, karengrace 

chillanta

gazz and me at p'cheen

hutch, keiran, daphne and me at p'cheen
me and sweet aiya in athens
need i say more?
hutch, emmett and megan having yummy b-fast
greetings from atlanta!

i didn't really get a chance to finish my last entry in orlando, and now it's sunday and i've made it up to the atl... still my life is a whirlwind and i'm happy to have found a chill in the air as i've arrived to more northern climes! i had a great drive up here, driving fast with all the windows down and the music jammin'... a great jump start for this road trip! i got in here late last night to hutch and megan's spot with a lovely fire in the back yard. we went to athens today to catch up with an old friend from s.f. and made it back into town pretty late. earlier in the day i wrote on my facebook profile that i'd be at a friend's bar - p'cheen here in atl tonight...not realizing the time of driving and the true commitment that it would involve.  once again, i over committed myself- but with hutch's help i made it out to the bar and got to see some dear friends!! the cherry blossoms are stunning here, i'm excited to be driving north and having the privilege of beating the spring blossoms as i go northward! the only difficult aspect is my allergies, i was quite ill in orlando from the oak pollen, and really have that to look forward to on mv in a month or so! perhaps my body will have gotten over the initial shock and by the time it hits the vineyard i'll have an immunity built up?? one can only wish! these entries from n. america may not be as exciting as the polar adventures, but i believe that every place holds it's own mysteries to be explored and shared!! so, here we go!! sending lots of fun from this lovely road trip, take care and i hope you're all having a BEAUTIFULL spring day!  karengrace*

st. pat's in o-do

jaxson at the water park
sunset shuttle launch!!!
silly anna!
sweet christian!
SASSY!
betty, leslie (godparents) and me- st.pat's day
greetings from my folks back porch in orlando!

i wrote my 1st blog here on oct. 26th last year, and this completes my full circle.  my mom suggested that i begin-again from the starting point, and that makes perfect sense to me! i will maintain the name and premise of the blog, because it's from the 'ice and beyond'...

it's been quite a journey and life changing series of events since i sat here almost 6 months ago!   i am winding up my visit here with friends and family in the homeland and heading north to atlanta on thursday.  i'll be there for a few days, then on to asheville and end up on martha's vineyard... my island paradise.    xoxokg

coast starlight

Rossella, Melissa and i in front of the best brazilian sando shop in oakland!!!
Part of the winchester house in san jose- look closely at the door...
me on the steps of orchard lane in the berkeley hills
rossella, me, melissa and shan on shan's front porch in oakland
Greetings from la!

i had another lovely trip on the coast starlight yesterday-i absolutely love that trip, i prefer the southbound trip because there's more to see farther north, and the farther south the train travels it gets more developed.  i got in late last night and had a nice dinner with hank and a friend and now i am making plans for my final days on the west coast.  more pot lucks and dancing before i fly back to orlando on monday!  i am sad i was unable to make it up to orcas to see my lovely people there, funds turned out to be a bit tight, i'll just swing through on my way back!  i'm  off to get the day started here in downtown la... looking forward to seeing everyone in orlando!!! i hope this finds you all well and looking forward to the bounty of spring!! take care, karengrace

bay-time

Melissa on the ferris wheel at the santa monica pier

me and the jolly green giant
greetings from sf!

i apologize for my last entry, it was really sappy,  i was quite emotional and feeling the warmth of old friends.  but i'm better now, and back to my silly self!!!! melissa and i are going over to the east bay today to catch up with old pals and eat brazilian sandwiches- yummmm! tomorrow is another seeing folks kinda day and then monday is wine country and tuesday is the winchester house in san jose!!! we've always wanted to go, and now that mel has an augmented work schedule we've been able to do so many things that we've always talked about!!  i'll be boarding the coast starlight early in the morning weds. for my favorite w. coast train trip to l.a., it's a 12 hour trip, but there's no other way i'd rather journey between the 2 cities...if you've never done it...it's worth the time!!!  i ate amazing el salvadoran food thurs night, they do lots of pork and their own version of sauerkraut.... mmmmm! then yesterday i soaked in the rejuvenating baths at kabuki in japantown...always a must here in the city!  otherwise, i am just feeling the blessings of a good life!! (oops, more sap...) take care, kgrace