The watcher waters, waits
for seeds to leaf in two, then four.
The quickest end
to this green vigil
is to plant a few rows more.
I wonder,
as I wander
through this furrowed, dirty sea,
How slow
seem I to grow
the seeds planted in me?
Day 11 - 20 of Covid Chronicles
“…I am more conscious of the small, tactile observations around me. A construction-yellow-mustard lichen, no bigger than a thumbnail. The juicy crack each romaine leaf makes when pulled off the crown. The feeling of filling my lungs full, full to bursting with air, as I pray for a friend whose breath has become laboured with pneumonia. The scratch of sand against my shovel; the slinky slide of clay.”
Day 1 - 10 of Covid Chronicles
“…Most of my morning was business, but I gladly abandoned my desk for the sunshine and this little miss. She is the cheeriest little joy, our little parrot, our climbing monkey, our apprentice gardener. She happily drowns the tenderest seedlings, moves dirt with proud industry to the surfaces her Daddy has just power washed, and somehow manages to mimic my every mannerism. She crosses her arms, her chin thrust speculatively out towards our efforts, humming and tsking her little opinions.”
RIP Kitty
Life has changed drastically for her these last 2 years. Demoted from Daily Companion to Toddler’s Live Toy, banished from the bedroom, beset with hyperthyroidism, arthritis, a world-altering change of homes, and now failing kidneys, this kitty is far older than her 14 years.
The first half of her life was treasured by breeders: she was a champion show cat, and a born nurturer; she would try to steal other kitties when she had none of her own. When presented with the chance to adopt her instead of waiting 12+ months for an $850 kitten, we snapped her up.
Buttermilk & Bastille: Two Olive Oil Soap Recipes
Making soap is pretty rewarding: you can take a few pretty innocuous ingredients and, with some careful measurements and a lot of stirring, end up with a beautiful, chemical-free product that's cheap and long-lasting.
There's all kinds, but I've started to think olive oil soap might be the best option for several reasons. I weighed the pros and cons for you below.
Postpartum Superpowers — How a Selfish Introvert Adapts to Motherhood
As a freelancer, I spent 90% of my week working alone. I chose how I spent my time. I could say yes to work that interested me, and decline projects that didn't. How would I possibly adapt to the ever-changing, always urgent demands of a newborn? There were no deadlines, no wrap-ups, no closed books—this next season was a lifelong responsibility. Even in the last weeks, when I reflected on how to finish well, I was mourning the looming loss of independence.
Well, the little one is here now, and something very interesting has happened. I thought my battle would be one of spirit—that I needed to will myself to selflessness and self-discipline. But my body knew better.
