About nine months ago Susan and I ventured out from our comfortable life in Arlington, Massachusetts, and landed in Free Union, Virginia.  In that period of time I’ve done a crazy amount of fly fishing, have returned to Africa with the non-profit One Voice Community, and have even managed a few photography jobs including coverage of this summers breakdown at University of Virginia for The Wall Street Journal and The Chronicle of Higher Education and a spread in The Local Palate on local wineries in Central Virginia.  It’s been an interesting transition for both of us.

Among other things we’ve grown accustomed to are beautiful organic free range eggs from our various neighbors.  The larger, above, are from our neighbors, and the others are “extra large” from the grocery store.  We’ve reciprocated with hand made pasta and other baked goods.  We live in a small community called Free Union, which is made up primarily of Mennonites from Faith Mission Home.  These folks are the most generous and welcoming group of people we’ve ever met (expect more photos and posts on them soon) and combined with our other lovely neighbors in the “holler,” Gay and Josef; Gay is a chef and runs the catering company A Pimento Catering, and Josep is a graphic designer, it has made for a lovely transition and lifestyle change.

 

After arriving in Free Union I spent three weeks in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania with Robbie and the folks from One Voice Community on an incredible journey collecting hearts.  It was my first trip back to Africa in a number of years, and I was able to meet some of the most amazing kids I’ve ever met.

And this all brings us back to our new found home and lifestyle here in Free Union. Things are slower here in Central Virginia. We have two bird feeders and often see deer on our ride home.  We don’t have cell service and our house is unable to get internet service due to an “obstructed view” of the southern sky.  The last time I had to worry about an “obstructed view” was at Boston Garden covering the Bruins when I worked at The Boston Herald.