About two years ago, we moved to a rural area in Northern Virginia. After 60-plus years in New York City, it was a big change for us. Many artists -- Picasso, Monet, and Steichen among them, made this same choice when they grew older. I think it's the lower stress and the closeness to nature that are the most appealing parts of this move. You give up a lot of things by moving away from the city, but what you gain is a different life and a new chance for creativity.

The picture above was made a few days after we bought the house, but before we moved our furniture here. We had just a bed and few tables and chairs, but it was the beginning of a new life. While in a local town, we saw this candleholder and bought it because it represented our hopes for the future.