I wasn’t shocked when a sheriff pulled into my driveway Sunday afternoon—a magnificent Sunday afternoon colored with a blue that only the Pacific Ocean can conjure underneath… Read more “Behind a Murdered Man”
Category: People
Love Thy Neighbor. Seriously?
Love thy neighbor. Oh boy! I’d guess it’s a direct challenge by the task’s author. The directive is akin to a parent’s demand, “Eat thy chicken gizzards.” … Read more “Love Thy Neighbor. Seriously?”
Brian Wilson’s Songs Of My Life
“Are you going to the prom?” a high school friend asked me on a warm May afternoon in 1966. In the background, Brian Wilson’s perfect falsetto crooned,… Read more “Brian Wilson’s Songs Of My Life”
Not So Suddenly Seeking Silence
“On 9/11, despite being out of mobile phone reception, a huge number of hikers abandoned their walks. They hadn’t heard about the terrorist attacks; they were just spooked… Read more “Not So Suddenly Seeking Silence”
Is It Hot In Here or Am I Having A Hot Flash?
I don’t doubt that climate change is upon us. So when the conservative think tank, Heartland Institute, recently set up an electronic billboard that read, “I believe… Read more “Is It Hot In Here or Am I Having A Hot Flash?”
My Catastrophic Molt
Seen also in The Cambrian A thousand or more northern elephant seals sprawled across the beach when I arrived for my volunteer docent duty yesterday. These intrepid… Read more “My Catastrophic Molt”
An Anniversary Card To Spouse
Serendipity introduced me to my first husband at age 17. A week after our meeting he promised that we would marry some day. I laughed out loud. … Read more “An Anniversary Card To Spouse”
Why Do Polar Bears Like To Live In The Snow?
“Good morning, Dennis,” I greeted the Russian scientist as he sipped the hot coffee we readied for the morning workshop session. (I attended as a volunteer to help the facilitator, The California Gray Whale Coalition, tend to the business of running a workshop smoothly.)
“My grandson called me this morning and wanted me to ask you a question. He wants to know, why do polar bears like to live in the snow?”
What’s Your Line? Dark or White?
It was a warm September 1954 morning when Spouse boarded the bus from his suburban Los Angeles home for his first day of school. When classes finished,… Read more “What’s Your Line? Dark or White?”
Ms. Hester Prynne & The Return of Her Scarlet Letter
Spouse’s face lit up when I answered, “Sex” to his question, “What are you going to write about today? He added a height to his frame as… Read more “Ms. Hester Prynne & The Return of Her Scarlet Letter”
The Muse Pallet 