Date women from United States / California / Alameda, 59 year old

Date a soulmate from California, United States. I am passionate about my family, however my sons are grown and have started their own families. At this point in my life I would like someone who wants to share their life experiences with a very active artistic lady. A life is much fuller when it is shared.
I am a person who has a problem sitting still. The world has so much to offer that I want to try 'everything.' About the time my twin sons were becoming independent I was laid off from a long term position. With no children and no husband I took time to travel, I have been on five continents and my 'bucket list' includes going to the last two (Africa and the Antarctic).
While restoring a 1966 plane a few years ago I found I enjoyed painting, so I took a couple of classes which led me to UC Berkeley where I received my fine arts degree with a minor in Native American Studies in May of 2010. I was in the process of obtaining my teaching credentials but with so many teachers in California looking for jobs and new grads wanting to stay in school many programs had twice the applications for the fall of 2011. Therefore, I am continuing volunteering at the local schools while looking for a way to keep busy.
My careers have been varied over the years: from a pastry chef and caterer (one of my sons is a Cordon Bleu chef) to research and development in a manufacturing environment and now an artist/teacher.
NO PICTURE NO REPLY - I prefer messages over winks.
I use to be 6 feet tall until my Doctor measured me at 5'11". I am secure and I need a confident man by my side.
It isn't really true that I can't sit still. I enjoy a cozy evening and a glass of wine but I won't open a bottle unless I can share it. My moods can be sexy or elegant, sensual or playful-they vary but I rarely get upset. It would be nice to have a mate that would like a 1/2 Lady 1/2 Tom Boy companion...I do WANT a man in my life, especially on those cozy nights and quiet mornings. Companionship and love along with understanding and sharing are very important to me. However, a good relationship also has to have differences; being someoneРІР‚в„ўs mirror image is not good for a relationship to grow. I need hours to myself and I hope my mate would need the same.Being a country girl who has lived in many large cities I am as comfortable in jeans and hiking boots as I am in formal dress. My life style is very healthy; I eat natural, exercise daily, take no medications and would like my partner to be the same.
I want to fall in love one last time in my life and I'm optimistic that I'll find another love, possibly/hopefully the best love ever.
Cooking and entertaining are my passion. My sons always knew when I had a bad day at work because when they came home there was a 5 course meal and every pot in the house in the sink.
I was living in Berkeley while I was at CAL, I moved in the Fall of 2010 after renovating a 3rd floor in an old house (dry rot and all) and I had to planned on living in this 'flat' for a few years but not having my own kitchen wasnРІР‚в„ўt working out so IРІР‚в„ўm moving into a 2 bedroom apartment. Becoming a grandmother lin March of 2011 may tie me to the Bay Area for awhile. I was born in Tennessee and have lived in DC, New York, Chicago and San Francisco until I married and raised my sons in So. California. Now I am back in the Bay area and have no set plans where I will be, it could be anywhere.
Gardening is one of my meditative processes - life is too short to not be enjoyed every day