I knew her more as a friend than my mother. Our friendship began when I was quite young and grew as we grew older. I called her by her name and she always called me by my childhood name.

Complicated?

As complicated as two very similar people can be who have total insight into the other. Occasionally she parented me, other times I parented her. And in between? Endless discussions on the arts, food, “the garden”, politics and social issues. We rarely argued.

We both went back to the land in the 1980′s. She practiced urban self-sufficiency while I went rural to grow organic food for the markets.

She taught me the beautiful art of beekeeping.

And there was good food from her French and German roots, the pursuit of the perfect espresso and more talk.

Complicated?

Very and yet I had only one lesson to learn and that was how I should define myself by my actions rather than ego.

– One Kindred Spirit

Kodachrome Slides Transferred to Polaroid Instant Film