The calendar says that March 21 is the first day of spring, and while that’s a week away from the time I’m writing this, there are other signs that spring is here. One of the first signs of spring for me is the biannual ritual of changing the clocks. While I love the longer daylight, […]
Read MoreIt was one of those weeks. It started with the pool sweep spewing water all over the deck, which delighted the dogs since it was something new to chase. Next came strange-winged insects that, despite some good old-fashioned denial, did turn out to be termites. And then the clothes dryer refused to dry clothes. You […]
Read MoreOur two fifty-years-plus sycamore trees were trying to reach the sky, so it was time to call our very talented arborist, Luz. When he and his assistant arrived, he surprised us by also checking out the blooming apricot tree. They ended up delicately pruning out deadwood and extra branches. When finished, the tree looked like […]
Read MoreRecently I realized I have been traveling on paths that are so well-worn they have become deeply rutted. I read the same kind of books (mysteries), Ted’s walk is the same route day after day, and I’m reluctant to try anything new. Had the box of fear I vowed to stare down, set up artificial […]
Read MoreToday is just about as perfect a day as you can get. At 77F degrees, it is a warm day. A gentle sea breeze rustles glistening palm fronds. A few deciduous trees have bright-green leaves. Camellias, fruit trees, and bulbs are blooming. The apricot tree is covered with snowy blossoms that will turn into golf-ball-size […]
Read More“I wonder what will be happening in ten years?” my daughter-in-law, Marlene, mused. My head snapped around so fast I almost gave myself whiplash. But I said nothing. Chris, Marlene, Brooke, and Jaden were visiting us in the desert. Over the next few days, Marlene wistfully repeated this. Every time I heard her, I got […]
Read MoreLooking out at Boney Mountain and the green, green mountains fed by ample rain, I’m struck by how every vacation is usually a kaleidoscope of events—highs and lows, places and people. Right now, I am searching for that one magical vacation experience from our time in the desert that will be sealed in my memory […]
Read MoreToday, after our morning routine, which includes coffee, praying, catching up on world events, and taking care of the dogs, John said to me, “Do you think we could take the dogs on that hike in La Quinta?” Let me tell you about this hike. It covers a strip of desert between the La Quinta […]
Read MoreThe other day I went to the market. It was a fairly chilly day when I got in the car to head home, and I noticed a bee sitting on my sun-warmed windshield. Coincidentally (or possibly not), I had just been reading about bees. As insects, bees need warmth to keep moving. The bees we […]
Read MoreI think all of us have personal beliefs that help us function in this increasingly unpredictable world of ours. They are internalized rock-solid truths that allow us to go about our lives with confidence. Among the stones of this foundation are several I have named “Things That Will Never Happen to Me.” I call these […]
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Kathleen Chamberlin 