In Nature
winter solstice
In between the rain showers today, I spent time with wet trees & muddy trails. I met so many mushrooms & explored their under sides from below. I felt into the darkness of the lightest part of the day. I saw beauty in the decay & breakdown & I noticed new life everywhere. I went…
Read Moreeucalyptus love
A few months ago I met a volunteer China Camp Park Ranger on the trail. She launched into a rant against eucalyptus trees because of the fire danger. I felt sad and defensive of the trees. They are so beautiful, and providing all kinds of incredible housing for birds, butterflies, and other insects/animals. She called…
Read Moremessage from the moon
From the full moon… Lie down on the ground, womb to the earth. Feel her pulse beneath you. Lift your gaze to me— see yourself in my light. I am always reflecting you, the mirror of your becoming, the witness of your return. I move with you through every tide, through blood and breath, through…
Read Morelistening to rain
Listening to rain… Listen. Simply listen to my drops as they meet the earth. You will hear such depth & variation. You will know that no two moments are ever the same in this river of time. The almost imperceptible drop of a light rain, just a little more than mist, so quiet, you have…
Read Moresunrise reflection
Today I woke up in time to go for a hike with my tea & catch the sunrise. It was chilly. The grass was a bit heavy with dew. The air smelled incredible, I want to try describing it. The scent felt like the earth’s effort to hydrate herself made her perspire. It’s the clean…
Read Morecrossroads
Katy took this picture on Saturday evening. We sat for awhile at the crossroads along the trail in the hills behind my house. We looked over at just the right moment and saw the almost full moon rising over Mt Diablo. It’s a mystery to me why the moon so rarely shows up as large…
Read Morespiders + san pedro
Almost all of the San Pedro cactuses in my backyard are covered with spider webs. Upon inspection, I can almost always find at least one spider on any given length of cactus. Their webs stretch between the cacti, wrap around them, and catch all kinds of insects, leaves, and whatever the wind blows their way.…
Read Morelearning from the river
I spent several hours over the past two days immersed in the Yuba River. I visited two different spots along the river, returning again and again to the water and the rocks as my teachers. I explored the shallow water, pulling myself forward with my arms like an alligator—my head just above the surface, my…
Read Moreowl feathers
I opened my back gate to look for my cats, and something white caught my eye in the dry grass. As I walked closer, I saw two feathers—at first I trusted my instinct that they belonged to an owl. Later, I convinced myself they must be red-tailed hawk, until a friend gently corrected me: these…
Read Morenot doing it alone
I spent the morning wrapped in a comforter, nestled into a window seat in Fort Bragg, looking out at a garden that felt more like a prayer than a landscape. Mist in the air, birds dipping into the stone bath, moss filtering the light, trees bowing gently in the breeze—it all felt so alive. So…
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