1. God
2. Nasturtium cluster somewhere
3. A dog’s gaze
4. Each her own story
5. The creek rolling
5.
5. The Japanese maple stretching its canvas of space and time.

“Not remembering that we are always receiving sacraments is an isolation the leaves do not have to endure: they receive and give, and they are green. Not remembering this is an isolation only the human soul has to endure. But the isolation of a human soul may be the cause of not remembering this. Between isolation and harmony, there is not always a vast distance. Sometimes it is a distance that can be traversed in a moment, by choosing to focus on the essence of what is occurring, rather than on its exterior: its difficulty or beauty, its demands or joy, peace or
grief, passion or humor. This is not a matter of courage or discipline or will; it is a receptive condition. – Andre Dubus, “Sacraments,” in Meditations from a Movable Chair

1. God
2. View of the river valley
3. Bird songs
4. Cool evenings and cooler nights
5. Wildflowers
6. Feeling better in the morning
7. Family breakfast
8. Iced tea with mint leaves from the garden
9. Remembering to breathe
“If I were much wiser, and much more patient, and had much greater concentration, I could sit in silence in my chair, look out my windows at a green tree and the blue sky, and know that breathing is a gift; that a breath is sufficient for the moment; and that breathing air is breathing God.” – Andre Dubus, “Sacraments,” in Meditations from a Movable Chair

1. God
2. Pot of zinnias by the church door
3. Sounds coming in through the open window including an unknown bird
4. Introductions
5. Saying it out loud instead of dropping hints
“All I ask
Don’t tell anybody the secrets
Don’t tell anybody the secrets I told you”
-Lucinda Williams

1. God
2. Present with the speaker’s voice
3. New variety of sunflowers, yellowish orange, and the yellow birds like them
4. Patty, listening and speaking from the heart

1. God
2. Rain somewhere
3. Runoff
4. Extensions of gladiolus in different colors throughout the city
5. Kathy R. Enjoying retirement
6. Spiders

1. God
2. The cascade of living, breathing, receptive faces
3. Alan feeding treats to our pets
4. Asking questions
5. Cool cloudy morning

1. God
2. Remembering to breathe
3. The tears accompanying the story
4. A thriving garden of flowers and vegetables
5. Cherries
6. In fear for the cherry tree along the slope
7. Good neighbors – sorry to see they are selling their house and moving
8. Jacquelyn

1. God
2. Not feeling it today, but Cassie is, so let her tell you: “Ever have one of those days when you just feel joy?” “It was a beautiful day and I was working in my garden and my dog was coming up to me and kissing me (and brought me my trowel in her mouth.) And a cool rain just started, like that on the Cape or the Carribbean. And I just felt so happy and grateful.”

1. God

1. God
2. Summer
3. Lantana has the smoothest fur, and quite a bark.
3a. Lantana among the lantana
4. Watching her with Pegasus, they seem to imitate one another (dog and cat)
5. A thriving garden from rain and heat
6. In fact, the whole little neighborhood is looking nice back here, with Alan’s plants on the other side of the fence, and he planted some flowers next to Terry’s stoop, and I can see Oliver’s roses at 9:00 from where I sit, particularly the salmon colored one alone on the vine.
7. coffee with Eileen and our work together.
8. A story I heard from someone named John. He talked about receiving an orchid for a gift. The plant flowered, the blooms faded, and he was left with a “dirty stick.” His friend told him to water it, let it have sunlight, and watch, and eventually more flowers bloomed. I had a similar dirty stick experience with the orchid which John C. (My friend, not the same John,) gave to me, and my assumption was it died for my neglect, and I got rid of it, nothing knowing or bothering to find out what to do instead. I think I will try again.