A strange, sad, beautiful summer — I’m trying tomatoes again. It’s silly, really. Why do I persist? It costs hundreds of dollars, first of all. I kid you not. I went to the nursery several times, and Home Depot, and various other places, to price the galvanized metal feed troughs they have there for container gardening…

On following your delight — It’s morning in the San Francisco Bay Area. The view out my living room window is of oak, redwood, and pine trees layered on the Oakland foothills behind a row of sweet Mediterranean bungalows with red-tiled roofs and handmade brick chimneys. A bunny cup sits at the top right corner…

But how can I see them as more than panaceas? — I have a complicated relationship with men. I love, respect, and even revere them, and yet — disdain them. At the surface level, I just love men. I love their look, smell, and feel. I love their swagger, and the glint in the eye. I love catching their attention. I…

A redux — I’ve tried to write about why I’m not dating before, and I think I’ve failed. I wasn’t honest. I didn’t go deep enough. There are many reasons I’m not dating even though I want to. Some are surface-level, some are deep. Some are logistical, some are age-related (I suppose..?). All…

And I forsook him — I had a problematic friend. Do we all have a friend or two like this? What I mean by that is, well, he was inappropriate. Often. He could be creepy, at least for the uninitiated. He loved women and had a strong libido — and boundary issues. But he never…

And what it affords me — I moved into my son’s apartment about a month ago. It’s located in a part of Oakland I avoided my entire life, a part that’s being revitalized after decades of ruinous crime. Actually, this particular area of Oakland — Tuxedo, near Highland Terrace — is well on its way to…

On noticing the sign posts in our path — I went to a new (for me) hairdresser yesterday to get my hair cut. I was annoyed because I’m saving money hard and had decided to just ignore my hair for the time being. But, I’m going to Los Angeles on Tuesday to deliver a car to my daughter, and…

A benediction — Go out into the world in peace. Have courage. Hold on to what is good. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the fainthearted, support the weak, and help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit. — Reverend Karen Stokes…

I’ve had enough fine dining to last me a lifetime. — Something interesting has happened to me. After years of trying to be on a budget, trying to be more moderate, trying to curb my desires and greed and envy, trying to cultivate gratitude, trying to avoid the siren call of pretty clothes and nice food and good wine… I have…