I will be teaching an online class on prejudice starting Monday (tomorrow) for Story Circle Network, a women’s writing organization that encourages all women to tell their stories. We’ll look at the writings of Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Cade Bombara, Toni Morrison, Maya Angelou, and Roxane Gay and explore our thoughts. feelings, and experiences related…
Month: August 2020
HBO’s Perry Mason with Matthew Rhys!
I just want to give an enthusiastic thumbs up to Perry Mason’s first season on HBO. We watched the finale tonight and it was excellent. I don’t want to give away even a shred of this story, but suffice it to say that the time period (the 1930s) is well portrayed with fantastic set design…
One More Day at the Orange Grove
We are still in Ojai. We decided to stay one more day and night and will be leaving tomorrow around noon. Today Beau Leigh and I had another round of encounters – one in the morning and the other at dusk. Both were definitely better than the previous days, but there was still a fair…
Last Night at the Orange Grove
Another Ojai night. The stars are bright. We were out looking for the Perseid meteor shower, but it’s apparently too early. That means we might miss it. It’s hard to go to bed very late here, probably because we wake up early and are outside the majority of the day. So we were out for…
Beau Leigh and Me, Or How to Survive in a Chicken Pen with a Very Angry Rooster
Today I learned how to deal with an angry rooster, and I do mean that literally, not metaphorically. Beau Leigh is my daughter Liz’s rooster up here in Ojai and he apparently doesn’t take too kindly to anybody but Liz or her husband Ron coming into the chicken pen. Granted, he is protecting 5 hens…
Listening to the Crickets Here in Ojai
Ray and I are up at the orange grove for a few days. I am currently sitting in our Airstream listening to the crickets serenade us outside. The air is cool. The night is dark. Our dogs are out checking the perimeter of our fenced-in compound and hoping to find some rodents to chase. Tomorrow,…
In Defense of the Impractical
I wrote this a few years back, but it still holds true as far as I’m concerned. Besides, we had our grandkids yesterday and today for a sleep-over and Grandma is a bit too tired to write anything original tonight. So, here you go. This will not mention Covid-19 or the presidential election or anything…
A Little Advice on Life from Kurt Vonnegut
“Go into the arts. I’m not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven’s sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the…
A Poem by Granddaughter Luna with a Little Help from Grandma
Luna’s Favorite Things My name is Luna and I’m 7-years-old I have lots of talents, I am told Here are a few of my favorite things Bubble baths, red roses and cute earrings I also like lots of food At restaurants I wanna be a cool dude I love pizza, barbeque I like it so…
RIP, Jano, My Old Friend
Today, I learned that my friend, Jano (Alejandro Lozano-Sanchez), unexpectedly passed away last night in Palm Springs. Apparently, he told a friend late yesterday afternoon that he didn’t feel very well and was going to bed early. He died sometime during the night. Of course, this was a shock and made me very sad. Jano…