In Biosphere 2, a closed ecosystem experiment that was tried in Arizona, the trees that grew inside this giant greenhouse-like structure were weak because they were never exposed to wind and so didn’t develop the stronger “stress wood” needed to help them grow to old age. In this same way, you need the stress of […]
I read this article today that I found still resonates to this day. One part in particular that I continue to dance with is this: Grief crowds the heart, eats up all your energy and chronically imposes upon your peace. But grief isn’t some evil force that’s only there to cause pain, grief is escorting
All day I think about it, then at night I say it. Where did I come from, and what am I supposed to be doing? I have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere. I am sure of that, and I intend to end up there. — Rumi
We spend the weekend in beautiful Sebastopol, CA, this weekend. It reminds me of the Napa of my youth, still feeling like a small country outpost. It’s a cute little town with a hippie vibe — think organic clothing stores, sensible shoes and crystal shops. As we wandered through Main Street, we stopped in to
The Problem with Catholics Read More »
I was in São Paulo, Brazil, last week. I was there only four days, having gone down for work as a last minute business trip to which I added a couple days for sightseeing. Although it was a whirlwind, and I spent more time in airplanes and airports than in country, I’m glad I took the
Observations from Brazil Read More »
My recent trip to Brazil was the first time I traveled with my Portuguese passport. It was a strange feeling, traveling so far from “home” as a citizen of another country. I was living my other identity as a Portuguese person. Yet, while I was there, I was fully Portuguese. I spoke Portuguese almost exclusively
A meditation on identity Read More »
People often refer to their personal or spiritual exploration as a “journey.” It seems to me that a more appropriate metaphor is to “drop anchor.” We are always in motion, looking for the next road…or searching for the nearest exits of whatever situation we are in. For me, for this point in my life, I
Garden I’ve spent the last six months talking with landscape contractors, general contractors, and kitchen designers. I have decided that the landscape architect was a waste of time and money, and regret having turned to one. She clearly does not garden, as she was placing plantings under the fig tree–a messy site at the end
Napa Cottage Remodel Read More »
The last few days in Panama have been illustrative. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I agreed to do a workshop here for a large multinational company. All I knew was Manuel Noriega, the Canal, and the Panama Papers. What I have learned is that Panama City is cosmopolitan and sophisticated — when your
Observations from Panama Read More »
I used to be an avid photographer. I took classes. I traveled with my SLR and worked in a darkroom. Over the years, as photography became easier with digital cameras, I slowly dropped the habit from taking “serious” photos to catching snapshots…to…sadly…group selfies. Recently I bought a new DSLR, which I’ve only managed to get out