Chicken Dinner

This little chicken joined me for dinner last year at the Shark's Cove Shrimp Truck on Oahu's North Shore.

I really want to get back to Hawaii sometime soon - I had such an amazing time. 

In the meantime, I am busy gardening, cleaning, working, inspecting, processing, fighting, and growing. It's spring. New growth is on its way. Not always easy, but always worth it.

Black & White Kitty

Skittle, looking out the window.  Perfect mood for this overcast Tuesday. Watching, waiting, working on the internals.

Macy's Downtown Portland

Instagram pic with filter action from Snapseed.

Captures a good mood for me. Lately I've been super introspective, to the point of digging up the eulogy I gave for my Dad when I was just 23 years old. It holds up, but that'll be another post. For now I'll just relax into this retro vibe and kick back with a nice glass of merlot.

The Good Angel

The Good Angel

The one I wanted came,
the one I called.

Not the one who sweeps away defenseless skies,
stars without homes,
moons without a country,
snows.
The kind of snows that fall from a hand,
a name,
a dream,
a face.

Not the one who tied death
to his hair.

The one I wanted.

Without scraping air,
without wounding leaves or shaking windowpanes.

The one who tied silence
to his hair.

To scoop out, without hurting me,
a shoreline of sweet light inside my chest
so that my soul could sail.

-- Rafael AlbertiTranslated by Mark Strand


I came across this poem from a journal entry of mine in 1999. It sang to me then, and sings to me so brightly now it brought tears to my eyes upon finding it again. It always amazes me how certain books and poems come to you in times of need, and they are always perfect, and just what you needed.

Cemetary angel

I took this two years ago in New Orleans, and played with some filters in snapseed yesterday to get this result. The original image here if you want to compare.

I definitely like the otherwordly qualities and drama that the filters added.

And I am looking to my better angels at the moment, so it's fitting for this time in my life.

Dogwood at dusk

Snapped this at the end of yesterday's walk with Cole. Spring is arriving, and it's nice to see. Especially since the forecast calls for a week of nonstop rain.

Saturday Sunrise

I woke up to let Cole out early this morning and noticed the sunrise looked particularly colorful, so ran back inside, grabbed my iphone and snapped this. (Some minor tweaking in snapfish and instagram, really love both those apps.)

Fitting really, a beautiful start to a new day. 

I am so very proud of all of my accomplishments the past two years, especially given some of the obstacles and sadnesses that have come my way. I am still me, still mainly happy, still smiling, and still surviving.