NOMAD DREAMING

…Looks like freedom, but it feels like death It's something in between, I guess It's closing time (closing time, closing time, closing time)… Route 66, the Mother Road, draws a semi diagonal across the United States linking Chicago in the east to Los Angeles in the west. Along with the unUnited States enduring a sweltering, stormy, sun burned and somewhat battered and weary 250th birthday, Route 66 claims to celebrate its centennial this year. Since I live in one of the state

It’s summer solstice with a vengeance where I am: hot hot hot and cloudless at dawn. I was not on the water to greet the solstice sunrise this year. An unfortunate back injury has me off the water and forbidden to bend, lift or twist - all requirements to maneuver ungainly kayaks or canoes onto a vehicle - for a few weeks. If I’m coming across as grumpy, no paddling is why. And then all the other stupid stuff too. Summer with its extreme heat and bugs makes me cruel. I kill m

It’s been a hard week for the Garden of Earthly Delights and the shala. First a farmers market neighbour who is also a neophyte beekeeper in a nearby village came to remove the compost bin bees. Fortunately the bees were very gentle, since mid afternoon on a warm day (think mid 90s F/34C) wasn’t the ideal time or conditions. This was young beekeeper’s first time removing a swarm. He wanted to see what he was doing. There were some beautiful combs and lots of honey, he said. I

I had just read an article about NOAA (one of my absolute favourite federal agencies) predicting an above average monsoon season this year, when I looked out the kitchen window to see beautiful dark grey green liquorice clouds building in the west, intensifying all the colours. Thunder started to rumble. Doves were unperturbed. This is why the 14th century Spanish name for the place where I tend a garden was Ojo Caliente de las Palomas. It really is a hotspring of doves. A fo