Michael's back; I leave

So what is this about? Two things. I did a nice loop to visit hospital based clinics in Chester, Quincy and Portola and was walking around Quincy town when I walked through a field of dandelions at dusk. I remembered this horrifying comercial on TV about this beautiful little yellow flower zapped by an herbicide. How can anybody hate a dandelion when they are so beautiful, especially their seed heads? I was mostly joyful about the tulips and lilacs in this earlier place on the spring continuum but this was the picture that wanted sharing.

Well, this sequence didn't work... Michael came home from the mountains yesterday (with great stories but no photos.) This morning we went out to Pine Creek, above. Yesterday I went walking in Bidwell Park with my friend Laurie and the hierba santa plant was blooming and the pipe vine swallowtails were loving it. This has been a wonderful year for flutterbys.

Then, Friday night there was a benefit for Mira's work in Guatemala in Weezie's garden. Mira works with preschool kids around Lake Atitlan and has been getting money for school classroom improvements. Marty's hair has nothing to do with Mira's work (she has her own important work in this world,) but that and the beetle tipped (are they?) irises were my favorite shots from the evening.

I leave Thursday for Guatemala. The way it looks now is three days of women's health hands-on at the Clinica Comunitaria Daniel Comboni in Mixco then up to Tanjoc in the Peten to visit the community there and bring up pre-natal vitamins and various school supplies. I'll get to see friends and hopefully make myself useful for about 10 days. I'll journal while I'm there and bring back a synopsis. I'm grateful to go. (check www.pueblopartisans.org )

Happy Mothers of the World and Madre Tierra Day to all of you no matter your gestational status or chromosomal persuasion. Yes, I am flying with the awareness of what the plane uses and what it spews. Peace held within the dynamic of the contradictions.