How much does it cost?

Today I am relishing friendships. This summer I traveled to San Francisco with my dear friend, Janet. She was graduating from CIIS and receiving the hood of PhD in Philosophy of Religion. It is uncanny to me how our adult lives have run along along such a parallel course. We were together as undergrads in Philosophy, sharing friendships and late night discussions. We are together today as writers and students of Buddhism. As I watched her accept her degree after all these years of studying and writing I was elated and impressed. Elated to share the joy and impressed with the stamina, determination and patience of a woman willing to sacrifice for "a condition of complete simplicity, costing not less than everything" as T.S. Eliot wrote in Little Gidding. Today I am relishing friendship. I am particularly delighting in my times with Janet. She has shared my accomplishments by adding her own joy and she has taken me in when my heart was breaking. She may be a Doctor of Philosophy but to me she is a healer of hearts.

What is real?

An old friend came to visit this summer. She is not old but the friendship has aged, is deep and has stood the test of time. We met in college. I was a poly-sci major and this was my first Philosophy course, The Phenomenology of Dreams and the Imagination She was the Professor. After learning from her in this class I changed my major to Philosophy, she became my advisor and we became friends.

This summer her visit took us back to a beach we have often walked, she laid out her blanket and I was mesmerized. The blanket was so worn, so tattered. She told me she has had this blanket since her college days many years ago and that it carries memories. As I looked at this treasure of Cecile's my mind flashed to the story of the Velveteen Rabbit and the image of the loved up Rabbit. It takes many years to become real and a lot of loving. And you cannot tell just by looking if the thing is valuable or if it has become "real" because "that which is essential is invisible to the eye." I saw this whole principle in the tattered beach blanket, I knew this about Cecile already, that she a real friend who sees me and knows me as I am. So I took a picture of the blanket which, I now know, is the most lovely photo of Cecile I could ever have.

Garden Gate

This little fence and gate have been such a joy to create and install. Thanks Allison! It reminds me of bubbles! I found the hand forged latch at a renovators supply in Kennebunk and it adds just the right bit of charm. Lots of time spent in the garden now that I am no longer officially working. Bliss. With all that is happening with my writing and poetry I am feeling a renewal of freedom.

Tonight I am off to San Francisco to witness the long awaited hooding ceremony of my dear friend, Janet. Staying at a friend's home in the canyon, driving down the coast to Carmel and Monterey. Of course there will be the trip to City Lights Book Store ... just because...

Rangeley Book Group

The book group gathered in Rangeley for the weekend. We had two feet of new snow to add to all that was already piled up! Lots of good exercise - snowshoeing, x-country skiing, yoga and mini massage. Did I mention food? At one point "someone stood before the big window looking out at the snow, trees and frozen lake, all spattered with the flight of various birds. She said,"How does this nature thing work anyway?" All the philosophy in the world can't answer that one.
I would like to offer A poem I wrote about a moving experience we had while sitting by the fire. It's called

STUNNED

The thunk at the window
Alarmed us,
Left remnants...
A few soft feathers
Clinging like a notice
To the pane.
Soft warning, as if to say,
“Time to wake up.”



The chickadee, we found
Nestled on the snowy deck.
A well carved appearance of itself,
Acrobatics abandoned,
Now contracted to pin-point focus,
Fierce will of fire,
Radiating a
New nest in the snow.


Sometimes you just
Don’t see it coming.
And can we call it ignorance
When a winter day is shining safely,
Trees drooping beauty,
And we are gliding blithely,
No thought of faith or future,
Flying full force into the unseen
Window of stunned awakening?

Bouquet, Panama

Vulcan Baru in Boquet tops out at 12,000'. I never made the climb although those I met did it and said it was difficult. I enjoyed time at Mi Jardin es tu Jardin. The photo with the hanging lanterns shows the plantation owner being wheeled by his caregivers. He has a magnificent place which he opens to the public free of charge. It must be wonderful to see people from many countries coming to enjoy your gardens. The house with pool is where I stayed - lovely.

The is one of only 500 of it's kind. I met this parrot at a wildlife refuge in the mountains. I will be writing more about this unique place soon. Just wanted to get the photos up.

Casa de Carmen Panama

Can you believe we were greeted by a green parrot on arrival_ Her name is Lola and she lives here. Then I met a young woman who is here in the Peace Corps who knows Lex´s brother Richard. He is a PC volunteer here also. Tonight we are going to hear some jazz and tomorrow taking a train through the jungle to Colon. WE have a flight for early Saturday mornu¡ing to Bocas. Staying at a place called Lulu´s. I have a photo of Lola to upload tomorrow.

Love to all and B / J thanks for caring for Oliver.

Deb-Mum