In these days every dinner meal is some combination of broccoli, kale, lettuce and onions since that is what is profuse in the garden. I wanted to post with photos from our CSA (Complete Self Attunement winter deepening) but not a single photo seemed to come out but when I got home and appealed to my usual subjects they just did their beauty school best to shine for the camera.

 The ones that have been the most difficult are the pussy willows. The camera has its own mind about the focus on these shots and we go round and round me trying to trial and error it without ever reading about the camera.. Amazing to see the detail on these willow flowers though.. the earth and her spectacular variety and expression. In the meditation I happened on the word "clean." How we humans don't really (seem to) care so much about our recycling or our water or our air... we've accepted a level of dis-ease. In plants, who have short lives, you can see what happens when things are out of whack. In the spring though everything is new and beautiful-- no aphids yet, no drying petals to set seed, no plain old willow leaves after the soft and surprising pussies.

 What was most surprising is that I was out of touch with the moon cycles... I rode home on my bike along Big Chico Creek last night and was totally gaga on the sycamores and the sense of the cold and my own progress (met two raccoon on 7th St.) but somehow didn't know this would be the full moon tonight. So strange.

 Our retreat was at a wonderful house that backs up to the creek. Four days of expanded awareness and a new commitment to staying in openness. Here where words, photos and the unknown space of possible relationship are held but more importantly in my everyday life.