I was up at six a few days ago and caught some early morning photos of the orange grove. The light was lovely and the temperature was cool. The orange trees have three stages of growth right now: mature oranges, green oranges, and orange blossoms. The scent is heavenly. Pickers will come in a few…
Why I Have to Write A House Divided
Hannah’s voice came to me in the middle of an ordinary quick write with a student. Right in the middle of recording the mundane details of the day—the time, where I was, and which student I was writing with—a voice spoke to me and said, “My name is Hannah Price.” She went on to tell…
Ojai 4th of July Parade – Small Town America
Today, Ron, Liz, Ethan, Ray, and I attended the annual Ojai 4th of July parade. This is a big deal in this little town of 8,000, and people set up folding chairs along the parade route weeks in advance to get a prime, shady spot. For the second year in a row, we were comfortable…
Ray’s Optimistic Oak Trees
Twenty-two years ago, Ray planted 65 cork oak and California coastal oak trees around the edges and in the empty spaces of the orange grove. Now, they range from 30 to 50 feet tall and grace our property with their stately presence while providing deep shade for us in the hot summer months. Ray described…
Mud, Mops, and Sunday Morning
Last Saturday, Ray received a call that a water main had burst above our church in Hollywood, and water and mud had poured into the kitchen, bathrooms, the flower room, two main rooms of the parish hall, and the priest’s sacristy inside the main church. Outside, almost 9 inches of silty mud covered the space…
Milo’s First Giggle Caught on Video
Call me THAT grandma, but what can I do? Number 5 grandbaby, Milo Andres Pineda, just had his first giggle, and Uncle David’s girlfriend, Anne, caught it on video. Plus, our little fellow, who was born on March 17, has recently discovered his feet. What else is there to say? Joy abounds. Not to mention,…
For Father’s Day: A Pure and Constant Love
I wrote this piece a while back, but it still reflects how I feel about my father. I wanted to share it today to honor my dad’s memory. My dad was fifty when I was born. I was the lucky recipient of an adoring father who never wavered in his constant love and attention. I…
What Nourishes Me: A Story in Progress
This week, the primary way I have been nurturing myself has been by focusing on my work in progress, a novel with the working title A House Divided. Set in 1979 in a small Texas town near the Red River, the story centers on Hannah Price, a 17-year-old gifted bluegrass fiddle player and classical violinist…
Lyla and Milo’s Baptisms at St. Thomas the Apostle Episcopal Church, Hollywood
We had a wonderful family gathering last Saturday in Hollywood for the baptisms of our grandchildren, Lyla and Milo, at St. Thomas the Apostle. Our nephew Jim and his wife, Karri, flew in from Salt Lake City to serve as Lyla’s godparents. For Milo, Andrew’s sister, Christina, came down from Seattle, and his first cousin,…
Who You Calling a Hoe?
A woman and her new hoe. That’s me. Yes, a hoe. Not just any hoe, however. A Husky 51″ fiberglass-handled garden hoe with a 4.5-star rating and 933 reviews on the Home Depot site. And no, I didn’t order it online. Ray and I went to Home Depot in Oxnard to purchase said hoe, along…
20 Minutes a Day 