Let me bring you some...

Today I'm picking flowers, arranging them in a porcelain vase, and shamelessly paraphrasing p. 62 of my book. 

When we moved to this house, Pam noticed a poorly-lit area that was bare, except for a few weeds that had the potential and network of roots to dominate. "Let me bring you some lily of the valley," she offered.

She did, and every spring I remember that kindness. And her.

Adding to the loss playlist

I'm rearranging the sidebars on the blog this morning; moving the loss playlist to a more prominent place to better reflect the mood given the recent passing, yup death, of my editor-encourager Blossom. There's nothing like a dog beside a desk to make sure there are frequent breaks and forest walks; to provide a necessary balance for all that time spent in one's head. With each significant loss in my life (usually people but sometimes pets), a song has arrived; sometimes on the radio while driving, or recommended by a friend, today the next selection for a choir. It's played on repeat and plants itself deep within the loss compartment that holds, well, everything hard. 

If you are a dog person, or are trying to understand the dog people you know, take a look at Dog Days in Mosaic Through East-Facing Glass. The essay entitled Stitching was written after that book was published; get in touch with me if you'd like to read it.

Demolition - Fall 2024

There used to be a church at the corner of Main St. West and Cline Ave. North in Hamilton. Watching it be, well, demolished, prompted a personal essay. A short version was published and is available online; a longer version is available to any who asks...
 

Books and Brews Book Club, 65 Hatt St., Dundas

 

In the Shade is the on the calendar at the Shed! The Dundas branch of the Hamilton Public library is hosting a discussion of my book on Monday October 7th, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. Click here for more details.