It would be odd if we had to explain why it’s not a good idea to plant a garden on top of a toxic dump. It is a commonsense sort of thing. Toxic chemicals in the soil may prevent anything from growing. The plants that do germinate will be stressed and susceptible to disease … Read more
Viral Overload I don’t know about you, but I am weary of seeing the super magnified coronavirus molecule everywhere I turn. Certainly, we want to be informed citizens, but we are awash in scary images and language, sometimes without any real content. Rather than feeling informed, the overload can invoke a lot of fear … Read more
One weekend a month, from March to October, I lead mindfulness walks at Bluff Lake Nature Center. But the walks have been temporarily suspended because of the pandemic. The nature center is open so that people can exercise, but social distancing makes it hard to lead a mindfulness walk. Shouting instructions across 6 feet … Read more
It is snowing here in Denver, but eggplant bushes are producing fruit in many places in the world. I know this of course because eggplant originated in climates much warmer than Colorado. And I also know this because my Houston daughter’s garden is magnificently producing eggplant right now. I can only dream. In … Read more
I walked this morning in Denver with the sweet smell of new rain in the air. It was a great reminder that spring is here. New growth is bursting up and out everywhere, helped along by the rain. Walking in the early morning with so few people out, it is easy to pretend that … Read more
As the world moves into surreal disaster movie mode with COVID-19, mindfulness practice is needed more than ever. It may require increased dedication. Here are four key points to consider as we move through the next few weeks. First – Breathe No seriously – taking slow deep breaths activates the parasympathetic nervous system. That’s the … Read more
Simple joys pop up when we are paying attention. A few weeks ago while walking the dogs with my grandson, we discovered a patch of crackle ice. If you live in no freeze zone, you may be unfamiliar with crackle ice. It’s a thin layer of ice that forms across sidewalks or pavement … Read more
Flax to Fiber One of my many garden goals for the new year is attempting to create fiber from flax…fiber as in thread, string, or whatever I can manage. I was inspired to explore this idea after reading The Golden Thread, How Fabric Changed History by Clair St. Kasia Humans have been making fiber from flax … Read more
New Year’s Resolution Re-Do. Have your new year’s resolutions faded from view? Most evaporate quickly. Maybe you are in the anti-resolution camp and never set any to begin with. If your resolutions have faded or you are just looking for an intentional practice you can get excited about, I have a suggestion. It’s an easy … Read more
Nothing says hopeful like the arrival of seed catalogs in the mail or in-box. No matter how bleak the weather or world affairs, seeds mean new life and beauty. They represent fresh starts and endless possibilities. That’s not a metaphor. Seeds actually mean life goes on. We plant a tiny kernel and a new plant … Read more
