A couple in Idaho know more than anyone other than a crazed herpetologist should have to know about garter snakes. For three months, they apparently lived dead centre, on top, of a hibernaculum, where snakes hibernate in thousands during winter. These were only garter snakes, sure. But THOUSANDS??? You can read the horror story here.…

Sometimes when bad news comes, all that helps is writing poetry. Even the stronger, most eloquent poetry of others isn’t enough. That upwelling has to be voiced, and poetry is all that helps. This was one of those weeks: a dear friend w/ Lou Gehrig’s disease. Another whose partner has only a very little time…

I have grand-nieces. And a grand-nephew. They are, of course, amazing children. Funny, beautiful, smart and terribly entertaining (emphasis sometimes on the ‘terribly’ :)). Last weekend they came for tea. We sat down to the table, where plates of small peanut butter sandwiches and chocolate bread w/butter and slices of apples were ready. We had…

Once, many years ago, I made it through the night breath by breath. I remember laying in the twin bed next to my mother and thinking: one more breath. just one more breath. And I thought: you can die of a broken heart. you can just choose to stop these so-called autonomic reflexes… and just…

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