Telling New Stories in the New Year
Happy New Year! On New Year’s Eve, I listened to a couple of different video events marking the occasion. The first included a reflection from Union Seminary President Serene Jones. She spoke in part about the many months of social upheaval across America, and the...
2020 in the Rearview Mirror
The year 2020 is almost over. I can imagine everyone around the world heaving a deep sigh of relief. It’s been a tumultuous year on so many levels. As it draws to a close, I’m reflecting on my own life in this year and drawing out a few themes that have been woven...
I’m Harvesting Awareness in 2020
The harvest season is here. The majority of humans now live in cities (55% in 2018), so we tend to be more out of touch with the seasonal rhythms of planting and harvesting (unless, like me, you have a garden!). We might put pumpkins on our porches, but few of us grow...
Remembering Cottonwood Trees
One week ago, on my morning walk, I discovered that this huge old cottonwood tree had been cut down. It stood out in a field, on the edge of former farmland (I think there once was a house nearby, as there’s a covered wellhead). That field has been awaiting the chance...
Figs, Caverns, and Connecting with Nature at Home
There’s a gorgeous and bountiful fig tree in my neighborhood. It’s in the back corner of a yard that backs onto a public footpath, and the tree’s branches hang over the fence on two sides. I discovered it last year, in the height of the fig season, when birds, bees,...
Receive a complimentary download of Shirin’s latest e-book, Lakeside Lessons when you sign up for her enews!