Christmas Bird Tree

Everyone has left for wine tasting in Sonoma County. Pud that I am, I decided to stay back and take pictures of rain drops and do less heroic drives.
Orien is now 29 years old. Everything about her is dear to me, even her ear.

Sheldon's cousin came from Hamilton, Ontario with four of his daughters. These cousins of Orien's are much loved and very precious.. each unique but very fun for their humor, singing and mugging. We had a few days more or less together in Chico.

We gathered up who we could to do the Bird Tree on Christmas, something we have always done, feeding the midwinter birds and dressing up the Deodora Cedar at the entry corner of the land. There are Bob, Howard in the background, Addie, Ginnie, Becky, me, Sheldon barely, Sue's aunt, Marcie, Kim, Olivia, Orien, Noah in the background and Pula and Sasha Pike's ears. Thanks to Michael for this finale shot.

One sweet surprise of the Holiday was the sudden arrival of Leslie and Addie with cider and cookies at Sheldon's on Christmas night. I wish we could have seen more people and had our usual big brunch but each stamp of a year burns with its own light and I'm grateful for the opportunity to have had the holiday be as perfect as it was.

Solstice gray

The climate talks are over and the health care bill is a disaster. Along with that the Cancer Detection Program will no longer do breast cancer screening and diagnostics for women 40-49. It's been a stressful time.

We did get in a ski at Butte Meadows last weekend and Michael is doing a wonderful enlargement of our tiny kitchen. Most important, it's the solstice and my spirit is tuned back to the energetic light of wholeness. Despite all that is not well in the world it is mistaken to miss all that is beautiful, alive and set to recover, adapt or find shelter. Thanks for all that remains!

Winter's Intensity

We are finally getting buckets of rain to mix with our buckets of tears for Afghanistan, for Global Climate and the lack of U.S. commitment, (for Obama who turns out to have less than a fighting spirit,) for our gloomy Health Care future and a peace time, greening economy. So, these are Ann and Ken vigiling today, standing where people have stood against war since 1960.

It hasn't been all so bad. There is lots of love, fun, food and music at this time of year. This is Rudy Giscombe grinning with the Huge Joy Rudy has, in between saxaphone tunes at the Avenue 9 Gallery last night.

Despite draconian cuts to the "Every Woman Counts" (as long as we can afford to have that mean something) program our intrepid clinical and health education team took a few hours off on a very cold day to join together over a great Christmas meal at Barbara's solar heated home.

My co-worker Patty met Mr. Bones at the Stansbury House Christmas and I took this forbidden picture of the old guy swung out to meet his swooning guest. (Dr. Stansbury, a contemporary of the Bidwells, used him for health education in the home office.)

Lastly, last weekend I did get in a bit of stroll along my beloved Pine Creek with Ann (from the photo above) and Ann (who is on her way to the Gaza Freedom March, December 27th.) The north wind was so biting that we couldn't bring ourselves to cross the creek at this point in the walk.

There's lots to stand up for and lots to back down from at this junction. The mosquito abatement substation across Comanche Creek was approved 7-0 by our City Council so let's all hope we don't get a hundred year flood. Bitter Cold and energy are a big issue as Michael has been trying to fix and install stoves and heavy downpours are also a big issue as Michael is mending and patching roofs. He's working non-stop for others and I don't even know if we will get to the snow at all this week.

I'm working hard to clarify changes to our program for providers when working and patching together my knowledge of what is going on in Copenhagen and elsewhere as I can along the way. My first tank of diesel turned out to be 43 MPG but it's hard to feel good about that... Solutions seem to be in short supply but peace is still possible within our hearts if we find a little stillness and that's what being driven in by heavy rain can force one to.. so enjoy this amazing time, what you can of it.