Again and Again – Soaking in the Beauty with People We Love

A Photo EssayfeaturingKauai, Hawaii We went there first in 1980. And we left our kids at home for the first time ever. They were 8, 10 and 12 and my parents came and stayed in our home, schlepping … Read more...

Quiet for the Weekend

"Moses and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel went up and saw the God of Israel. Under his feet was something like a pavement made of lapis lazuli, as bright blue as the … Read more...

Five Minute Friday: Opportunity

For the first time in a very long time, I'm joining with Lisa-Jo at The Gypsy Mama for her 5-Minute Friday link-up. Five minutes for free-writing - no editing, no over-thinking, no re-do's. JUST … Read more...

Resistance & Rebellion – Living with My Inner Artist

She went with us to the Caribbean,in all her multiple-quotation,list-of-affirmations,call-to-creativity glory.And I dutifully read all of the introductorymaterial and chapter one,learning about such … Read more...

Beauty in the Backyard

All my life, I've been a reader - I.love.books - all kinds of books. And some of them have been formational for me, sometimes in ways I didn't fully recognize at the time I initially read them. Today, … Read more...

Lessons from the Vineyard

"I am the vine," he said."You are the branches."We live in vineyard country here in Santa Barbara County. It has not always been so.For hundreds of years, the rolling hills around our countylooked … Read more...

Weekends Are for Quieting

Sitting in the yard for the first time in several weeks,I was struck by the bright colors of the trumpet vine that covers our fence. I looked with the camera and snapped this shot of the light … Read more...

When to Write…

As a matter of principle,  I seem to be late a lot. And I am very late in joining Lyla over at TweetSpeak Poetry for their book club reading of L.L. Barkat's wonderful small volume on the craft of … Read more...

A Little Tea, A Little Laughter: a Photo Essay

Never let it be said that I don't occasionally enjoya little fantasy.Pretending to be a 'lady,' perhaps - a west coast, 21st century upstairs resident of Downton Abbey? Why yes, don't mind if I … Read more...