News from Susie Bell

Dear Family,
Moving to Asheville 2yrs. ago was a very positive and good change for both of us, but big changes take time and effort and recalibration of so many support systems one comes to almost ignore when we are in our safe havens for years on end.  Having our girls and families here certainly has been our anchor and our joy and we are very happy to be with them and our sweet Izzy who turns 2 in August.  I am finally feeling more established and comfortable with a few new friends and thrilled that I am finding so many wonderful new adventures in nature in the lovely place.
I feel I've neglected this blog for sometime, but would like to make a stronger effort to maintain lines of communication with the larger Andrews family.  I'll have to admit, though, to being somewhat discouraged not to have more news from some of the rest of the gang.  I am offering to post for anyone who sends news my way for the blog.  I will redouble my effort to post news you send in a timely manner.
From my family:

Erica (32), Adrienne(35)holding Isabelle(2) and Chip(63)sorry not to have Isaac, our dear son-in-law in photo.

Erica has had a very successful year as the Development Director for Asheville City Schools Foundation.  She leads a very active lifestyle cycling, running, hiking, picking ramps, and has a very busy social life with the many friends she has made over the last ten years here in Asheville.  She adopted a puggle dog, Zeedie, who has kept her busy learning dog psychology, but keeping good company.  She and Adrienne completed a Triathlon this past Sunday and they came in within 5 seconds of each other which made them both happy and us proud!
Chip pursues his music interests playing banjo or now Bass as well at several Old Time Jams in town.  This summer he is a volunteer for Swannanoa Gathering which is a 6 week music camp for adults at Warren Wilson College where he helps set up sound for performances.  He has developed our garden at our new home here and we are gathering raspberries, blueberries, greens, cucumbers and tomatoes so far.  He has planted many flowers and we are seeing hummingbirds daily coming to the zinnias and sunflowers. 
Adrienne is full-time Mommy to Izzy along with managing a large garden and rental property. She takes on special tasks for her husband, Isaac's, work or for our family(usually of a financial nature).  She's the queen of recycling and finding incredible stuff for Izzy.  She's canned 42 pints and quarts of pickle so far. She and Isaac are sponsoring a Love and Logic parenting workshop in their home this month.
Isaac is working on a new venture setting up a new company that will offer online work force training initially for HVAC industry, but conceivably other industries to follow.  He has been a trainer for some time but hopes that gearing it up on the internet will release him from the frequent travel so he can spend more time at home. 
I've been enjoying being a chorister in the Wild Asheville Community Chorus for 3 seasons.  We sing world music especially from Africa, Georgia, and other Eastern European countries along with Shape Note Music and American Spirituals.  Love it!  I pursue my amateur naturalist interests with birding, studying wildflowers and mushrooms.  I occasionally lead a trail walk at the NC Arboretum.  I am currently making a thorough inventory of all the wildflowers on our property and have been waiting over a month so see a lily bloom to discover which one!
Chip and I continue to contra dance and were lucky to travel to New Zealand for 5 weeks this last Feb. on a contra dancing tour.  We saw many of the natural wonders of both the North and South Island.  I usually spent my days birding in the beautiful city gardens at each locale or hiking great trails.  We traveled with 30 people including our musicians by bus to small communities and held dances about every 3rd night.  Traveling by bus gave us a great way to view the natural beauty. 
We consider ourselves lucky to have such wonderful blessings of family, nature, and each other.