Last night, I needed a walk with my dog to calm my nerves. What a summer it has been! Nevermind the upcoming move, the baby, trying to hold down the fort at work, and packing up the old house while renovating the new house. All I wanted was a chance to stretch out my legs and let some of the stress go. My sister had previously intervened, quietly reminding me that blogging is supposed to be the fun part, my creative outlet, and not meant to add to the mounting pressures.
When I feel this kind of stress, it acts as a dam for ideas. I find it hard to concentrate and I can’t focus. As I walked through my little town of Beltsville with my dog in the moonlight, I could feel the stress melting away. The ideas started coming again and my mind began to clear. I thought, “I can’t wait to write about all the projects for the new house!” And I began to notice some beautiful sights, just on the streets of Beltsville, in the damp air that follows a storm.
I thought birds were usually asleep at night, but just in case, here is a glamorous little spot for them to hang out.
Trying not to disturb any motion detectors as I photographed this front door.
An outdoor clock, for the chronically late.
In the next few months, I plan to write about how to tile, making a table out of an old whiskey barrel, fresh wallpaper ideas, showing you befores and hopefully a few afters of the inside of my new house, turning a bird-cage into a light fixture, and some excellent new trash finds. I will probably still occasionally rant about my kids as I return to the baby-up-all-night phase of my life, but I am so excited. Excited to be a new mom again (believe me, Secondo is 9 already, so it will all be new again), excited to move (I blame too many years in the military for this one!), and excited to be blogging about it along the way. I am stressed, but I am truly blessed and things could not be better.
© copyright 2012 Mariam d’Eustachio.
Simply Turquoise 
6 responses to “A Nighttime Stroll through Beltsville”
Some beautiful, random finds in the moonlight, Mariam. Thanks. Your blog ideas are inspiring, reminding us how much we wanted our homes to look lovely in the first place. PAT
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Mariam, for years I have called your own Mom my good friend. I had the challenge of being your Mom’s manager (ha! ha! now that’s funny!) at APL until my retirement. I love your Mom and know her well. How like her you are. Margaret always NEEDED to surmount the next challenge getting stressed into little tight knots. She INVITED challenge in like a coveted guest. As much as I worried for her about THAT, her worst hell was being BORED. You both are high performing, brillliant, creative women who invite lots of challenges into your lives. Scale these current mountains, Mariam, and sing for joy at their peaks. I enjoy your posts to no end. Blessings on you, my dear.
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Dear Barbara,
That is probably the most accurate diagnosis of my personality that I have ever heard! And it has never dawned on me how much like my mother I am, but you are so right. Thank you!
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This post brought to you by “Not living within walking distance of a bar.” Man, I miss Portsmouth sometimes.
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omgosh! congratulations.
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What a nice post! It’s nice to have a slow pace from time to time – and to appreciate the little things that often go unnoticed … We can’t wait to read about all your new projects!! I think we’re as excited about them as you are!
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