Category: nature

  • Ode to Grandmother and Wildflowers on July 4th

    A conversation broke out over a leafy, blue-green mystery plant in a friend’s garden yesterday at work, and I remembered similar back and forth with Mother and Grandmother. Which wild plants are edible, and which are poisonous? In the morning, I’m reading “Indian Uses of Native Plants” From Edith Van Allen Murphey, written before I was even…

  • Birds, Lamb, Produce and Compassion

    A true story about a bird I loved, lamb and produce. Birds I am remembering a dear cockatiel named “Babe” sat on me or beside me on any available perch she could find, most evenings when I wrote or cooked. She had a habit of trying to remove my glasses and earrings when she landed on my…

  • Magnolias Open and Gandhi Walks: Union Square NYC

     Stopping off at Union Square today after work in NYC to see the magnolia trees, I found them in full bloom and they changed my day completely. Magnolia blossoms give only a faint scent but it permeated the area. Occupy Wall Street was meeting quietly at the south end of the park. Beside them toward the west side of the park a dozen…

  • The Waxing Gibbous Moon’s Visit

    Who left the moon on last night? In the night, I woke up wondering who was shining a light through my window so late. A few hours earlier – around midnight – it was the flashing lights and sirens of police cars, ambulances and fire trucks. Brooklyn, Friday night. I pulled back the curtains and saw the moon,…

  • Winter Song in Brooklyn

           Winter Song A cardinal tapping at my window called