Miscellaneous

A few days ago, Anne and I drove up the canyon to get away from the city and enjoy some time alone, some peace in nature, and the beautiful weather.   We packed a few snacks to enjoy as we hiked along a well-worn trail. We passed through several picnic areas and chose one that…

These acorns caught my eye as I passed them on a walk with one of my daughters this weekend. We were in a nearby canyon, the trail was quiet, the nuts lovely in the glow of the afternoon sun, a welcome respite from the urgent calls from moms and dads the past few weeks, “My…

I was most grateful to discover this beauty while I was on the inside and she was on the outside of our window!   And then I was in for a ringside seat at an amazing show that rivaled the greatest acrobats or trapeze artists. How still she sat upon her web. How patiently she…

It was nearly 50 years ago when Van moved to the small town where I was living and working. His small apartment was close to my home, and he attended the same church that my family and I attended, and I developed a friendship with him. We were about the same age, so it was…

Nearly 60 years ago Alfred Hitchcock made a horror-thriller simply titled, “The Birds.” It was a frightening movie for the time, about flocks of birds (ravens, seagulls, crows, and sparrows) who attack random people in Bodega Bay, a small town in California. Minor dive bombings escalated to fierce attacks, with birds taking chunks out of…

We should have turned the tech over to the grandkids, right?   That’s what Cal and I do when the too-smart TV won’t work or our phones go rogue…   But seriously we have a great tech team, and even so… yeah, we had a big glitch on the website stranding those of you who…

If we’ve learned anything over all the years we’ve worked with parents and families, it’s that we don’t make progress by just looking at what’s wrong, we’ve got to focus on what’s great as well and work from our strengths.   Have you ever heard the old story about the Animal School, first written by…