A few nights ago, even though there has been no activity, no people entering or leaving the building, the Methodist Church beside us left their lights on. Tonight it was the Temple. I suppose it could be a careless coincidence. A custodian or congregation member with a key who ran in to check on something and left the switch up in their haste to leave. A timer of some sort that is miraculously new to both buildings. It could be many things I suppose. But I like to imagine it was done with intention. With purpose. I like to imagine … Continue reading Night Light

I found a place today where the trees stand at attention and grow in rows straight and tall. None daring to outgrow or out pace the others, they stand in a line, evenly spaced, claiming equal amounts of the sun, reaching for equal parts of the sky. They live behind a wooden fence. Contained and kept in check by those who came before them. Those no longer free to grow, but determined to maintain control. One tree however, realized there was more space in the center; out of the confines of the straight and narrow. It broke the line, expanded … Continue reading Break the Line

I heard the unfamiliar clip clop of hooves on pavement above the even more foreign sound of people celebrating on TV. It is good luck to see a bride so I rushed outside to wave as they passed by. This is a day full of hope and new beginnings I thought as I watched them disappear into the low, dappled light and head, unafraid into the future. Continue reading New Beginnings

Both of my dogs are “good boys” but one of them (Herbie Valentine) is a little bit better. Sweet and social, he wears his sensitive heart on his sleeve. He is perfect in almost every way except…..when he barks. For such a stout, solid, sturdy boy, he has the most high pitched, nerve jangling, shrill bark. His nails on chalkboard bark tends to come out of nowhere as he alerts to sounds only he can pick up on, causing me to startle and scare. He caused me to jump today with one such ear splitting yelp and I responded by … Continue reading Say You’re Sorry

In the chaos of these last few days, I found myself once again drawn to the shore. My weather alert told me that while the temperatures would be more summer than fall, the rip tide was dangerous and lurking just below the surface. Today I stood at the shore of a very different sea. The calm of a few days ago had given way to winds that whipped the waves into a frenzy. They pounded the beach with bravado and fury but were driven back by the pull of the sun and the moon; unable to claim much ground. The … Continue reading Rise Above

I set off this morning to find a little calm. I claimed a bench overlooking the sand and watched the endless waves roll in and out. I felt, more than remembered, the last four years. Felt the weight of them crushing down on me, a heaviness I have grown accustomed to carrying. It has been a crazy four years, politically, for all of us no matter what side of the divide you are on. Factor in COVID and general unrest and I think we are all more than a little exhausted. Four years ago, at the last Presidential election, my … Continue reading The Old Man and the Sea

Tonight I chased the moon. I pursued it down the main road. Followed it down side streets. Raced towards the horizon, where the land meets the sky. Thought I had it cornered and captured when I ventured on foot into a field. Yet it remained aloof and evasive. One step ahead, millions of miles away, never out of sight, always out of reach. Making a fool of me, yet I followed it still…. Continue reading Chasing the Moon

Daylight Savings Time is still new to me. Arizona does not partake in the manipulation of clocks and watches so for twenty years I existed mired in stagnant time, not afforded the novelty of “springing forward” or “falling back.” Never given the luxury of reliving an hour or the grace to be able to skip over one. Time was just time and we were all stuck in the big screen version of our lives with no ability to rewind or fast forward. Which is why I stayed up until the early morning hours to watch the clocks change. To see … Continue reading 1:00 AM Redux

We took a stroll this morning to see the Halloween decorations. The forecast predicted rain so I wanted to go early. Just a quick peek before we got on with our day. Halloween is my favorite holiday for a variety of reasons but I especially enjoy seeing the kids all dressed up in their costumes, eyes wide with excitement, fully committed to their character in a way only children can be. Last year we got only a handful of kids as they passed by on their way to the festivities downtown. This year, thanks to COVID and the rain, we … Continue reading Trick or Treat