Let the wonder and beauty and bounty of the land be like a voice in your ear, singing a song of unity in our world — a song that celebrates coming together in harmony, creating a more splendid whole. May your Thanksgiving be a continuous celebration of gratitude. I am thankful for you. Karen
As one end of the seesaw was quickly rising off the ground, the other end was equally dropping, and for the moment, Ella and Jim — smiling and laughing — joined in a friendly, cautious, and calculating contest that tested their trust of each other. They recognized their equal power to send the other slamming … Continue reading Go Play!
It frightened me — watching the engineer at work. Adept, skilled, and determined, and very much unsettling. No, not this spider, patterned in colors of Halloween, intricately weaving a web to ensnare a meal. The engineer in my nightmare was the specialist at the genius bar, donned in an Apple Store t-shirt, decisively launching programs … Continue reading What a Fright!
The space looked like it did once before while looking like it never did. Gone is the agave, the “Green Giant,” attentively watched for months as the leaf, stalk, and flower put on their respective performances. The leaf, once standing tall and sturdy and razor sharp, flopped to the dirt in decline until stiff and … Continue reading Cry, Heart, But Never Break: Part 2
When we turned into the driveway of the ranch house our eyes were drawn to the agave. We gasped. As always, the massive agave stood stately and bold in stature — extending a human-scaled welcome, as if from a guard on post, assuring us all was well under her protective watch. The unquestionable strength and … Continue reading Cry, Heart, But Never Break: Part 1
Grind, dose, tap, tamp, pump, extract, knock, steam, stretch, froth, thump, swirl, pour, sip — I love a perfect espresso that makes a great latte. For most of my life, I didn’t drink a drop of coffee, but over the past five years, quality fresh ground beans, golden-brown espresso with crema that lingers, and velvety … Continue reading Savor: Things, Ideas, and People
It was two o’clock on Sunday when the summer sun was high in the sky, baking the blades of grass that were already brown, thin, and parched from lack of rain. But my eyes were not on the ground as I drove through the gate and gazed across the ranch. I searched for the familiar … Continue reading Clouds on a Summer Sunday
In March, I asked readers to walk through a ranch project with me. The first part of the project followed a progression of sedums from sprout to bloom. The project concluded by transplanting sedums to a spot on the ranch — Dad’s Cactus Ridge — where no sedums grow. This post shares the transplanting story and … Continue reading Feeding Chickens
Her name is Windy. She lived at the Lost Madrone Ranch. Windy is a dragonfly. Windy’s story is based on a real encounter over ten years ago. In my first blog post, Take Comfort: My Blog Introduction, I referenced an extraordinary day at the ranch — truly a ranch day to remember. I woke up … Continue reading Her Name is Windy, Sing Her a Song
The first tomatoes and peppers of summer are ripe at the Lost Madrone Ranch. The only thing better than eating tomatoes picked from the vine is sharing them with friends. Happy Summer!