Juxtapositions

I heard a hawk’s cry come through a starling’s beak. It was a perfect imitation. Messages come through however they can. Sometimes to break up monotony. Other times it’s a specific insight. Still other times, it’s just funny. We need juxtaposition to mingle and jostle healthy brain activity. I think this is true but I… Continue reading Juxtapositions

transformation betwixt land and sea

Plankton are abundant here. “It smells very biological,” said one man I met in the sparsely filled parking lot. One area in particular did smell like the brew of a million creatures. The South Slough Reserve is so understated, I think it goes unnoticed by the crowds. It was America’s first estuarine research reserve, established… Continue reading transformation betwixt land and sea

Hot flash stories x 2

Not my mother’s hot flash, by guest blogger, Kristi Lodge. I had my first hot flash in June 2018, in the waning days of my forty-second year.  My girlfriend and I went to Portland Pride.  On Saturday we found a café that served great breakfast and coffee within walking distance of our AirBnB.  I was… Continue reading Hot flash stories x 2

Confidential Conversations

We end up together in a small room and I listen. It goes like this: a person comes in, and they speak a stream of images regarding their condition. First, they might say, “COW BUCKET WINDOW BREAD SUN ECHO.” And I say, “oh, ok…,” and I address this list. The subject is aches and pains,… Continue reading Confidential Conversations

Walk slowly and look closely

Dave could read coyote scat like tea leaves. “See this hair? That’s nutria.” Others contained grain, a mouse, grass. “That’s a thigh bone,” he pointed down to the ground to what looked like a mess inside of a mess. We saw no possums but were told that no one enjoys eating them, not even vultures.… Continue reading Walk slowly and look closely

Act in favor with all sentient beings

Is there life to it? Does it lead to love? How is that for a couple of good questions? A project? A move? A relationship? What does it feel like when you consider these questions? I learned about these queries through a Quaker study group. I don’t know if Quakers invented it, but they brought… Continue reading Act in favor with all sentient beings