A Blog for 2025

July 21, 2026 Happy Birthday, Laurie. My day was encircled by trips to Valley Medical, but between appointments I indulged my loves.  I had lunch with Don, I took photos and I wrote.  We had lunch at Upper Bend and then sat on a bench on Ave. A. for an hour.  The rain fell while we were in the restaurant and then held off until we got in our cars. I feel so detached from my own life, but today I got to hear about Don's which is so extremely different than mine.  It's so fascinating.  He sees so much of the world and travels with big people and calls them on their birthdays.  Yet he is so unassuming and kind.  In some ways I think we face life in very similar ways.   The canal was 67 degrees and raining and sky was a play unto its own. There were 10 heron, a brand new family of ducks, several kinds of ducks, some I recognized, others I didn't.  I have to start bringing my birdbook with me again.  I'm loosing retention or something. I...

July 20, 2026 several mid size birds at the rookery today around 7.  No big ones, and a few songbirds, but most of the action was the mid size bird feeding Tonight you only get photos.  I'm spent.  

July 19, 2026 Happy Birthday, Billy Arcand.   I think I just like saying Billy Arcand. I actually did a tiny bit of work this morning.  I am in a lot of pain and my brain is foggy, but I did some linear tasks, got some logistics completed. About 1:30 Jo picked me up and we went to the concert in Turners.  It was sunny, a little breeze and 74 degrees.  Couldn't have been more perfect.   There may have been 100 people there.  A huge percent of them were from our writers; community.  So nice to see people come out and support Paul who puts so much into supporting all of us.  It was a sweet concert.  At the end the cheering section got up and danced.     Jo and I went and got some tacos, I took a little nap, and Patrick showed up and we went to the rookery.  I'm debating whether I should get back in the car and watch the sunset or if this is all enough.   I think it's enough.

  July 18, 2026 One of the changes i need to make in my life is to plan and budget some how for at least 5 days near the ocean, if not a week.  These photos were taken a year ago and they sing to me. I took them with my crappy phone camera and they still sing to me. This little break with Loren was very rejuvinating. I have to admit I have not taken my manuscript, nor Valley and Beyond out of its folder since.  It's been a year since I allowed myself the space to really be a writer.  I need to change that soon, starting with the Anthology.   This picture of Patrick was taken a year ago, too.  I didn't get a photo tonight, I shoulda. Tonight we went to Georgios for a big salad.  They give you a good size bowl and plates and forks and dressings.  We had chicken on top and garlic bread.   Half way through it we both realized we were eating a giant bowl of store bought lettuce.    We had just had a conversation about how neith...

July 17. 2026 Less smoke today, and oddly stunning. Didn't go up to the rookery until after 6.  There was a small territorial event going on across the water.  I believe a kestrel and the kingfishers were chasing each other.  I couldn't tell what the bigger bird was, but by these photos it looks to me to be a kestrel. There was also a woodpecker hanging out over my head.  I hung out for about a half hour and it was quite perfect.    I took a little ride and then went to watch the sunset in the graveyards.  On the drive I saw deer, rabbits, and many birds.   Again, less smoke in the area at the moment, and the sky wasn't fiery, but it was beautiful I started off in Green River Cemetary watching it crawl down behind the  fairgrounds.  And then I moved over to Cavalry once it was below the hills.  The moon was setting, also.  The crescent was getting longer and longer as it slipped down, too.   She was lovely. And t...

July 16, 2026 Happy Birthday Eli Greenhoe. Tiny little peaches all over Edite's tree.  Will they be there tomorrow?   I had lunch with Donnie today.  We never get lone time and today we did.  It was fantastic.  Donnie came to NMH many years ago now, soon after EJ was born.  It's been so inspiring to watch him make it through his hurtles and challenges and help so many others.  I really love him.  I feel safe with him.  He's smart, thoughtful, empathic and strong.  Love it. There was less fire smoke earlier today but by tonight the sun was orangy pink again.  The wind was blowing through most of the day.  These geese are swimming uphill.  There were 3 heron in the Canal. Jo came over and measured everything and did a floor plan of the living room and dining area.  She then created 4 different variations on what this room could look like.  We made a to do list and figured out a couple issues.  Ok, big ste...