The view out our window on Friday morning looked like we were inhabiting a Loreena Mckennit song. Even as the weather app was assuring us there was no precipitation in Denver, we walked out into air that was wet, thick, and cold. Grey mist hung in the air and a crystalline film enveloped trees … Read more
Today is Super Bowl Sunday. It’s an odd day for those of us not into sports. But here is a thought for my fellow non-sports people – maybe the Super Bowl is about connectedness. I used to be completely baffled by the popularity of football and especially Super Bowl Sunday. (Sorry to … Read more
Garlic (Allium sativum) is a beautiful plant, a healing food, and a symbol of personal power and protection. Growing up in an Italian American household, garlic was a go-to seasoning like salt or pepper. I was shocked to discover as I got older that there are kitchens that exist without garlic. This seems … Read more
Children’s books often perfectly capture the human experience. In the Frog and Toad story The Garden, Toad admires Frog’s garden and then plants some seeds of his own. Toad waters the garden and then begins to obsess about when the seeds will come up. He paces, worries, sings, and shouts at the seeds, which … Read more
Shores of Lake Erie Opening up to the Aliveness of nature is this week’s mindfulness focus. Some settings immediately open our eyes to the aliveness of the natural world. I grew up along the shores of Lake Erie(1) and walking along the beach on even the calmest days, the aliveness is palpable. On stormy … Read more
Spring is Coming I know it is super cold in much of the country, but there are sure signs of spring if we are paying attention. The minutes of sunlight are increasing each day and seed catalogs are arriving in the mail. If you are not a gardener, it might be hard to understand … Read more
My 2017 Intention It’s the last Sunday of the year and I’ve made it to a finish line of sorts. At this time last year, I set an intention to write a weekly blog on a word or a concept for mindful focus. My goal was multi-purposed. Setting a weekly focal point would give me … Read more
The mindfulness focus this week is turning points. The funny thing about turning points is that we don’t always know when we’ve made it around the bend. Oh sure, sometimes it is obvious. It may be something dramatic like a new job or a move to a new city. But often, turning points … Read more
The blog post below was written one year ago. Sadly, it feels even more relevant 365 days later. In hopes that the light will overcome the darkness very soon, I am re-posting it now. Thoughts on the Longest Night – Winter Solstice Winter solstice always carries the symbolism of light overtaking the darkness. The longest … Read more
Arguing With Winter I am not a fan of winter or the darkness that accompanies it. The sun sets in Denver just after 4:30 PM this week, making for a very long night. And although the weather can be balmy here when the sun is up, temperatures can plummet twenty degrees after … Read more
