Singing Along the Journey

General

A room for things that just don’t fit in other categories.

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More

Seeing is believing…or is it?

I think a lot about the relationship between our physical senses and our spiritual understanding of our selves and the universe of which we are a part, particularly as I wander the streets in the early morning hours of the day. And more often than not, I am thinking about the importance of what we think we see and what we think that means, an importance that informs our identity and our interactions with life around us. I mean, what do we do with these images? I keep thinking about this quotation from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem, "The Turning Point," (translated by Stephen Mitchell): The work of the eyes is…
Read More

Sunrises and ear worms…

Some mornings have a soundtrack, whether or not you want it. Right now, my morning walk falls in what I call the sunrise sweet spot. I step off in the dark, but, with any luck, at sometime during the walk, I see the passage from dark to light in the skies. And years of music, both church music and the secular classical world, mean that stored somewhere in that grey matter between my ears are a whole lot of tunes to feed my personal soundtrack. Today was one of those We Shall Behold Him kind of moments. Those moments happen often as I live into the arrival of the fall…
Read More

Lost angel recovered…

Off and on, all day long, I have sat with my silver cloth, cleaning years of tarnish from this little medallion. The nooks and crannies continue to defeat my efforts, a bit at least, but I think that I have finally achieved a level of clean that makes it wearable again. And tomorrow, I'll add it to a chain again and place it around my neck. That might seem a lot of intention for a tiny medal of angel, particularly for a person who does not consider herself to be an "angel" person. You know what I'm talking about. But I want to wear this medal tomorrow. I want to…
Read More

Park benches and the water of life…

Lately I am noticing the subtleties of a summer sunrise. I mean not even I can rise early enough in June and July to walk before the sun is fully risen, no matter what advantage that would give me in terms of temperature and crowded sidewalks.  In the heat of the past month here in DC, the word subtleties would not have seemed to apply to the way I experienced the sun on my morning race to get my exercise in while being outside was still mildly possible. But as August moves into September, more and more days, my feet step out onto the pavement with light, yes, but with…
Read More

Hints of resurrection…

I have to give credit to my friend Mitzi Budde for the phrase that has become the title. This was her observation and it stuck. I continue to be in awe of this plucky little former tree. This was what hope looked like on a Wednesday morning. Not the greatest picture, but if you look at the bright green shoots with the tinge of color, that's what I'm talking about. Three weeks before this morning late in August, a tree surgeon came and cut down our beloved 20+ year old crepe myrtle. It had split under the weight of snow during the winter and then picked up an infestation called…
Read More

Do you think I planted enough…

Daylilies. The final word in that sentence is daylilies. And maybe roses. I'm not sure if I planted enough of either. I've just returned from more time in the mountains of the western part of Virginia, and I returned to a flower explosion. I like that. Yes, I probably planted a few things too close to one another, but hey, I can always move them in the fall. And no matter how carefully I scan the planting guidelines, I never get the distancing right. That is mostly because nothing ever grows to the size stated in those guidelines -- most plants get at least two times bigger than specified! I…
Read More

Everybody needs a little away time…

For the past few days, I have been out of town, taking a little time to work on a project that is close to my heart and soul. This trip is, for me, the first time that I have been away from home without my trusted pod companions since before the pandemic began. In fact, I can't remember the last time that I was away and on my own. I've been getting a lot done, and you will eventually hear more about that, when it is time. Today, though, I took some hours away from my efforts to enjoy the nature around me. That's right, even when you are doing…
Read More

The best cure for writer’s block…

I'm not much of a poet, but a savvy writing teacher once taught me that one of the great ways to break through writer's block was to take a walk somewhere, be as deeply observant as you can be, and then, write a haiku about what you see. So here we go: Starfish laden beach, Dolphins present as I ride Sun, surf, this is peace. It doesn't hurt to have Hilton Head Island as your inspiration.
Read More

Were you there?

I've had the computer screen open for 30 minutes now.  Nothing.  And yet my head and heart are so full of the things...all the things, in modern phraseology.  Finally, I decided to take my own advice, the advice that I give to my writing students -- just write.  You can always change it later; after all, this is a digital world. I want to tell you all about something and I am struggling.  I suppose that is the nature of the topic.  No, it is not some earth-shattering, life-altering personal news...or is it?  Hmm...but my topic for today, the one that I cannot put down, is this: witness.  Being a…
Read More

Actually, this is my home…

Sunday morning as I walked the now well-worn path around the neighborhood, chasing the sun rise and spending a little time with the abundance of birds that fill the holly bushes that seem to be everywhere, I stopped because I heard the loud clang of a bell.  While it was Sunday, but it was early and I was nowhere near St. Peter's Catholic Church, one of the few churches in the neighborhood that still rings a bell at 7 a.m. to call the faithful to worship.  I had already heard the sounds of Reveille from the Marine Parade ground on the other side of the expressway. I was puzzled --…
Read More