Simple pleasures

Rising early to prepare a warm bowl of oatmeal, apples, currants, and walnuts for my friend Pat, who came to spend the night recently.
White roses in a galvanized tin vase, blooms unfurling.
Relief and relaxation after embarking upon a long, slow cleanse.

The perfect day

I spent a bright July morning with my friend Jim on his 100-acre farm. We conversed over coffee, then did the ITP kata together. I met the perfectly delightful ball of fur and kitten energy named Max (short for “maximum cool” ― he was sitting under an A/C unit when Jim and his wife Cathy [...]

Death and gratitude

Two weeks ago my mother-in-law Susan died after an arduous six-month struggle with lymphoma. My husband and I spent most of the month of April with her at the hospital, then at a beautiful hospice near our home. It’s been a terribly difficult, yet sweet time.
A few weeks ago Susan said, “When you can find [...]

Joy in a family visit

Dancing with my niece and nephew in the soundSpace room at the life+science museum. Every move we made was captured by cameras that played musical sounds in response.
Goofing off and getting big smiles from my baby nephew.
Walking and talking with my little sister about creativity, art, and stuckness.

Health is wealth

I’m thankful for last night’s sleep, uninterrupted save for a few wild dreams.
I’m grateful that I can walk virtually everywhere I need to go in the small town where I live. I walk miles every day to and from work, friends’ and neighbors’ homes, restaurants, the natural-foods co-op, the farmers’ market, coffeehouses, the library, and [...]

Gifts I received today

a note from a new friend;
a delicious, nourishing dinner prepared by my husband;
a small batch of perfectly smooth hummus from the owner of a local Mediterranean restaurant.

Equinox

Periwinkles pop through beds of dead leaves.
Daffodils open their eyes of lemon and yolk.
A robin, worm-fat, darts across concrete.
A wren attempts to nest among bills in the mailbox.
Despite the rains, winter seemed so dry.
Think again.
Life teems.
I dream of wings
and flying.
———
The Virtual Bird, Bird Songs

Films that buoyed me

Ikiru, directed by Akira Kurosawa. A beautiful film about saying yes to life in the face of death. Superb acting, writing, and direction.
Travellers and Magicians, directed by Khyentse Norbu. A fable within a story about “the bitter and the sweet of temporary things” filmed in the gorgeous Himalayan nation of Bhutan. The soundtrack features harmonic [...]

Counting my blessings

I’m grateful for recently reconnecting with three friends;
for the ease and speed with which I was able to arrange four literary readings and two family gatherings this week;
and for the return of the sun after five steady days of rain.