Do you remember that scene in Out of Africa when Meryl Streep, playing Karen Blixin (later known by her nom de plume Isak Dinesen) was hosting Robert Redford and Michael Kitchen on her estate in Africa, and times being what they were--before CD’s and DVD’s—she entertained them with an after-dinner story. Robert Redford’s character gave … Continue reading Making Up Stories: my spiritual practice
In her dream, Charlotte forgot that her husband was dead. Her dreaming self did seem to know that Rob was absent. In this imagined space, he had left to get out of her way, to allow her to grow into the person she was meant to be. So at the beginning of the dream—or rather … Continue reading Peacock Dreams
Thirty-something years ago, I was hiking with friends in the Marin Headlands when we came across a cyclone fence enclosing a small yard. Inside the yard were two or three Doughboy-like pools with seals and sea lions in them. Some friendly signs explained that this was the yard of the Marine Mammal Center, a non-profit … Continue reading The Marine Mammal Center
In early June comes a five-day period when every peach on the tree arrives at a perfect skin-splitting ripeness and you race the birds rushing into the back yard with a blue plastic bucket. You drag the six-foot aluminum ladder from the garage climb tenuously and reach for each round fuzzy piece of fruit with … Continue reading In Celebration of the Solstice: Abundance
Greetings Blogosphere! I am excited to announce that I am releasing another book, a brief collection of short short stories (aka "flash fiction") and essays. It's called Wild Imaginings. Currently Wild Imaginings is available only as an E-Book for you to download onto your Kindle, Nook, tablet, computer or other device (even the one you're reading … Continue reading New Book!
After midnight the day-old loaves of bread in the bakery turn into slumbering cats. Some are brown and toasty, some white and fragrant, some calico dotted with black, brown and golden patches that used to be raisins, apricots, and berries. They stretch, blinking their golden eyes, then pad down off the discount shelves to chase … Continue reading Bread Cats
I wrote this a year ago at Easter, long before any of us had heard of Corona Virus. During this extraordinary time in our lives and history, I wanted to share this post again. It is my wish that my story of searching for the Divine will give you hope and comfort. Please be sure … Continue reading God of the Starling, God of the Murmuration
Prompts: Still a vigorous man, three doors where your life is headed, work clothes come off, modern attachments, the French was on the boards, ride my indoor bike, mosaics with flowers, part of the humor of everyday life Madelaine sat in a straight-backed chair, arranging the broken pieces of crockery into a pleasing design on … Continue reading The Humor of Everyday Life
Every year on Pearl Harbor Day, I like to tell the story of my late mother, who was picking oranges with her best friend on December 7th, 1941, when they got the news that the Japanese had bombed the US Naval Base in Hawaii. Every year after, she picked the first orange of the season … Continue reading Juicy
I wrote this a year ago when my cats were just babies. They’re much more disciplined now—ha! I was sitting on the toilet a half hour ago, getting a clear view of the leather belt I slipped through my denim belt loops this morning, and I noticed it—kitten teeth marks on the end of my … Continue reading Kittens for Christmas
