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When We Were Almost Poor

“I hear a baby calling,” I said to my husband Vic in 1970. After a day at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, we were driving toward the tiny stucco house we rented near a walnut orchard and

Here Comes the Sun

On December 24, 2019 / Nature, Psychology and Mythology / 17 Comments

It won’t be long before the Earth is tinged with color in the snowy land where I live. In these cold dark days, it helps to remember Nature is preparing for a new season. Through the winter,

How to Build a Heart Fire

On December 10, 2019 / Family and Friends / 25 Comments

The sky darkened from dusk to inky blue. Disco the sweet black pup became an exhausted brat jumping on my old dog Willow, biting at the leash when she went out for a last pee, mad with

Now Our Minds Are One: An Iroquois Prayer of Gratitude

On November 26, 2019 / My Land and Home, Spirituality / 19 Comments

This ancient prayer of Thanksgiving comes from the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people. The prayer is used to give thanks, bless gatherings, and greet the day. I plan to read it at a Thanksgiving gathering this year and hope

On Iroquois Land

On November 12, 2019 / My Land and Home, Psychology and Mythology / 36 Comments

“Why don’t you write about the Iroquois?” my son Anthony said. His eyes gleamed with enthusiasm. “The people who lived here had a Matriarchal Democracy. Perfect!” “Good idea,” I said. “It’s embarrassing how little I know.” Five

Marion Woodman and the Princess Who Said No

On October 29, 2019 / Psychology and Mythology / 13 Comments

“Why are you giving a lecture?” a woman in the audience said as she stood up. Her voice was hard and defiant. A few others joined the chorus. They wanted intimate groups, creative exercises, and art, not

Inspired by Artemis, Lured By Joy

On October 15, 2019 / Family and Friends, Psychology and Mythology / 28 Comments

My friend Barb Cook shared a video of six squirming black puppies. I watched as a vet checked each one before handing it to an assistant for comfort. I’d wanted a pup for a year, but it’s

Grief, Hope, and Climate Change

On October 1, 2019 / Nature, Political Action / 15 Comments

Two boys walked on the other side of Seneca Street. We were leaving the Climate Strike gathering on the Ithaca Commons. I watched these teenagers, one dark skinned with a snug T shirt showing his taut belly

Facing Our Deepest Fear

On September 17, 2019 / Bereavement and End of Life / 24 Comments

“I’m afraid to die,” Vic said. His raspy voice was soaked with despair. I rubbed his tight shoulders while he leaned into me, his head resting against my heart. “I meditated and studied with wise teachers for

The Woodstock Generation: Vietnam, Jail, or Canada

On September 3, 2019 / Family and Friends, Political Action / 23 Comments

“I don’t want to move to Canada,” I said to my boyfriend Vic in 1967. “I don’t want to move either, but I don’t want to go to a war I don’t believe in or go to