(or an achey heart) My brother went camping today in Point Reyes, but I didn’t go because I’m still a little sick and it’s cool and drippy. I am trying very hard not to regret this. Back in September, when I made the reservation, it was hot and sunny in San Francisco and I had [...]

[Sun at South Salmon Creek, December 2008.] Yesterday — Boxing Day — we went to the beach and the coast stretched out before us, still and shining as it tends to be in winter. It was very cold and with a fresh wind; my nose and hands were numb by the time we turned round [...]

[My tree, December 2008.] But that was not the same snow,” I say. “Our snow was not only shaken from white wash buckets down the sky, it came shawling out of the ground and swam and drifted out of the arms and hands and bodies of the trees; snow grew overnight on the roofs of [...]

My bags are packed, my presents organized (if not wrapped), the holiday packages mailed and hopefully already received, my new year’s eve party plans in full swing, and if I am still sort of sick and coughing well, at least there’s peppermint ice cream. Oh, peppermint ice cream I wait all year long for you [...]

Like clockwork, every year just before Christmas I catch a cold. Perhaps it’s because it’s our extra busy season at work, or that I’m realizing the end of the year is mere days away and I get flustered, or because those holiday cards aren’t writing themselves, or because of the very chilly temperature outside — [...]