Hello Friends of the Soup. I am constantly learning from all of you, and writing is something I love, but never made time for until now. I have always been a California girl, born and raised in the southern part of the state, now living in upper Northern California. Surrounded by mountains, and beautiful scenery, I have great inspiration. I think I have always loved to create, it comes from my Dad, and his dad, I suppose. Although my mother was the rock of the family, my Dad was the dreamer, and a cowboy at heart. I grew up with horses that he raised, and memories of him singing around a campfire on trips we took. He wrote poetry, and his own songs, and played guitar. His father did the same thing when my dad was a boy. My grandfather was a trail guide, in the early l900's in Yosemite Nat'l Park, where my dad lived as a child. My purpose in life has been family. I am married to my High School sweetheart, we went to college together, I taught school for awhile, then raised two fine sons (both H.S. teachers) and a beautiful daughter. Have 5 grandchildren who we adore, and fortunately they all live fairly close by. I've had a small catering business, but now we are both retired, live in the country on a couple of acres, with rangeland behind us. We are down to one dog, after a mix of this and that! No horses, although horses, cattle, coyotes, and all kinds of wildlife live behind our place. Our kids are gifted musicians, and one son writes poetry that blows me away, some which has been published. I love poetry and piano, all music, movies, camping, our little cabin in the mountains, but especially my family. And I love Poetry Soup..and all the wonderful company here!