This week had so many wonderful parts.

First of all, I’m writing an article about community gardens. So on Monday I drove to Old Hickory, Tennessee, to see a community garden grown by a tiny, very old Baptist church. When I walked into the church, I smelled the history, or maybe it was the musty hymnbooks and the old wooden pews, sun shining faintly through big colored squares of stained glass. I interviewed the most wonderful man—I almost want to cry thinking about him—in his 50s, retired Airforce from California, who spends much of his time in the garden, growing various kinds of tomatoes and peppers and filling the water tanks with a hose he runs across the street from the church building. I walked on the crunchy woodchips among the 30 plots, each one organically  farmed by a person in the community. I am totally a city girl at heart. But being in that small town, I almost wanted to pack up and move to a quiet, shady street where my neighbors bring me fresh produce and everyone sits on their front porch in a rocking chair, watching the sun set. Almost.

Second, the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry reopened last night after the flood with a sold-out show! I love country music and this is such an important staple in Nashville culture.

Third, I saw my spiritual director yesterday, and it was good for my soul! We talked about saying goodbye to the person you think you “should” be, and actually writing HER a goodbye letter. I haven’t begun writing it yet, but it will be along the lines of “Dear Miss Perfect at Everything, get out of here.”  Then I will bury it. I’ve become a proponent of mystical and symbolic sorts of things these days.

Fourth, we’ve begun planning Jack’s baptism. After participating in our friends’ daughter’s baptism a few weeks ago, and talking about it in our small group, I think it’s going to be awesome. There’s so much to say about it. But I can’t wait.

Fifth, our windows! Erik opened the windows in our living room yesterday that had been painted shut. I wasn’t home but apparently it was complicated. But this was a perfectly timed idea, as last night was cool, black and fall-scented, and the air pouring into our house was quite intoxicating.

I also have to mention the extraordinary breakfast sausage I ate the other day. Yum.