Tangible moments

We are wrapped in summer now; heat pressing in at 9 a.m., the mountains obscured by a soft haze, and the woods verdant with foliage. Along the mown paths that we’ve cut through the meadows, black-eyed-Susans and daises flutter like prayer flags. Tiny wild strawberries hide under delicate serrated trios of leaves, and we squat […]

Reasons to celebrate

I’m home, drenched with gratitude. The outcome of my week away was more bountiful than I could have ever imagined–she asked me to continue working with her in a private, advanced writing group that meets a few times a year, and exchanges manuscripts routinely. I’m beyond thrilled, beyond words even. Without a doubt now, I […]

Writing assignment # 3: An alphabetical story

(The first letter of each sentence is in alphabetical order. X or Z may be left out, but not both. One line must be one word; one must be 100)
Evening
Zig zagging above us, the bats move through the fading light like acrobats. Yellow light stains the mountains, but in the valleys evening makes the shadows […]

June Self Portrait Challenge: environment # 2

This place is big with words, with ideas, with art. The walls remember e.e. cummings and Stanley Kunitz; Grace Paley’s voice and Mary Oliver’s eye for noticing the profound in minute details. A fish weathervane tilts out my window. A long catwalk connects the studios; roses tumble wildly below. I stand in the mirror […]

Bliss

Have I mentioned that I’m having a divine time? I sat for three hours and wrote this afternoon after receiving brilliant criticism on the piece I am working on. I went to the beach yesterday, with a picnic: spicy fried chicken, pot stickers, salad, grapefruit soda, and a coconut & chocolate chip cookie. Then I […]

Writing assignment # 2: an airplane story

The big rigs were matchboxes and the cars marbles and then it was over. On the way down, the salt flats were pale green and iridescent blue, and the mountains heaved up like bread rising in the oven. I chewed gum on the descent, for the first time I’d ever been allowed, and felt my […]

Small unbelievable things

Walking knee-deep in the ocean. Picking up scallop shells for Bean. Uniterrupted reading time. Trying to kick fear in the ass, and the prospect of an entire night of uniterrupted sleep.

I’m somewhere else

I left at half past nine, and followed the sunshine south. Listened to Radio Lab. Did you know dolphins and ducks sleep with one half of their brain at a time? I was fascinated. Listened to a fiesty Niko Case play for a live audiance, and watched as the landscape flattened and the trees became […]

Always last minute me

I woke up this morning with a sore throat. I always seem to do this: get sick right after I’ve made it through to the end of something stressful. I also always manage to leave everything for last minute: laundry, the rest of my fiction piece, packing. I hate leaving in a rush of […]

June self portrait challenge: environment

On the front lawn, with the half-doze little araucana chicks, soaking up sun. School’s out. Summer’s finally here.
More environment self portraits here.