nature – Page 12 – FIRST DATE, WORST DATE EVER!

Another Brush with Nature

April 19, 2020April 18, 2020 Posted in California, cell phone, guardian angel, humor, memoir, mountain lion, nature, nine year old, ocean, outdoors, police officer, relationships, summer, worst1 Comment

(re-run) My beach town has a state-run conference center in it, with rustic buildings designed by the architect, Julia Morgan. It’s what got me here back in the late 80’s and 90’s, attending a writer’s conference next to the ocean. Over the years. I’ve seen brown state-issued signs posted for mountain lion sightings. I’ve never… Continue reading Another Brush with Nature

The Tree Whisperer

March 19, 2020March 19, 2020 Posted in California, gardeners, gardening, helpful strangers, humor, memoir, nature, outdoors, relationships, trees, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) I walk my neighborhood once or twice most days while walking Dog A and Dog B (I can’t walk them together since the newest little weirdo is nuts). Because I am a tree hugger and have planted more than sixty trees at my various houses over the years, I will free a distressed tree… Continue reading The Tree Whisperer

The Robin and the Chrome Bowl

March 18, 2020 Posted in birds, brain, California, caregiver, dogs, humor, nature, peace, relationshipsLeave a comment

(re-run) Every morning, as I sit at my kitchen table putting up my blog post and sipping on strong tea, a robin comes near the back porch to meet its reflection in an upside-down chrome dog bowl. The robin does a little dance in front of the bowl. The reflection does a dance back to… Continue reading The Robin and the Chrome Bowl

Nature’s Prayer Moment

March 2, 2020March 1, 2020 Posted in birds, California, church, friends, gardening, humor, memoir, nature, relationships, religion, writersLeave a comment

(re-run) Yesterday morning I stepped up to the kitchen sink to fill the tea pot and looked out my window at the flowers exploding in my yard. I glanced over to the fountain where I saw dozens of identical birds taking drinks in a clumped up circle around the top of my round fountain. Their… Continue reading Nature’s Prayer Moment

DUI Date

February 19, 2020February 18, 2020 Posted in California, cars, dating, drinking, firsts, friends, guardian angel, humor, nature, relationships, roommate, Stockton, tennis, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) Lesley was a college freshman at UOP in Stockton when a big football player type guy asked her on a date. Lesley had already met his roommate, so she thought she was safe with Chad and said yes. Chad took Lesley to a party, but when his roommate came up to say hi to… Continue reading DUI Date

Sorry About That

February 15, 2020February 14, 2020 Posted in Black Diamond Mines, California, firsts, hiking, humor, menopause, menstruation, mines, nature, relationships, surprise, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) Aileen had a date in her early fifties that neither she, nor the guy will ever forget. They met online. He suggested a hike out to the Black Diamond Mines in Antioch. She agreed, although she wasn’t much of a hiker. During the hike and while climbing in and out of the mine tunnels,… Continue reading Sorry About That

On Guardian Angels

January 20, 2020January 18, 2020 Posted in best, California, church, humor, last, memoir, nature, relationships, religion, worst1 Comment

(re-run) A friend and I had a glass of wine together the other night and reflected back on our lives and the times we should have been died but didn’t. Some would call it luck. Others would call it having a guardian angel. Some would say that was a weird way to spend an evening.… Continue reading On Guardian Angels

Long-playing Ski Buddies

January 18, 2020January 18, 2020 Posted in best, California, car pool, dating, flirting, humor, marriage, nature, relationships, skiing4 Comments

(re-run) Ellen was in charge of the ski cabin for the In Skiers in San Mateo. Mark joined the Powder Hounds even though he was just a beginner. Mark called Ellen to arrange for a room in the InSkiers cabin. Ellen had a cold and sounded like Lauren Bacall when she answered. Mark liked that.… Continue reading Long-playing Ski Buddies

Grizzly Bear!

December 14, 2019December 14, 2019 Posted in Alaska, bears, California, church, friends, grizzly bear, guardian angel, guns, hunting, nature, relationships, travel, vacation, worst1 Comment

(re-run) An Amazon robot punctured a can of Bear Mace, sending 80 employees to the hospital before Christmas. It reminded me of this true account told to me at a holiday party. In 2008 you take your wife, Liza, and your teen-aged kids to Alaska. You stay near the Princess Lodge in a fishing cabin… Continue reading Grizzly Bear!