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Category Archives: nature
By Their Fruit
I am relearning the trees of eastern Kansas and western Missouri. It is a formidable task. There are about nineteen species of oak trees. Some like the willow and shingle oak have leaves that look nothing like an oak. There … Continue reading
Stanley’s Gift
In the late 80’s Teckla and I lived in Kansas City, a little off Red Bridge Road. My older brother Stanley came to live with use for about a year and a half. He was struggling with anxiety and some … Continue reading
A Sneaker Wave of Joy
A couple weeks ago my brother, Larry, was knocked down by a sneaker wave. The beach by the Bandon lighthouse was wrapped in a golden/gray haze as the sun moved in and out of the clouds. Larry had wandered past … Continue reading
Russian Coffee, Opal, and Sticks
I think most boys are pagans. I was, despite being a preacher’s kid. Although our family went to church twice on Sunday and to Wednesday “prayer meeting”, I could barely wait to get out of Sunday clothes and into my … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, nature, On Faith
Tagged Altars, Milton-Freewater, Paganism, Talisman
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The Cosmic Groan
I know. Cosmic Groan would be a great name for a Seattle grunge-band. I used it, however, as the title of a sermon I preached at Camp Myrtlewood. Tall Douglas firs, and myrtle trees towered over the small outdoor chapel. … Continue reading
Washing Paws
It rains a lot here in the winter. Our Doberman, Pharaoh, is a long-legged, big-pawed horse of a dog, so when he runs through the backyard and skids to a stop, he tears up the grass. Most of the backyard … Continue reading
Little Pilgrimages
Going on pilgrimage seems like an Old-World act of piety. Unlike the United States, Europe has many holy places to visit. Here in the West, with its wide-open spaces, every pilgrimage is a road trip. We also have a shortage … Continue reading
In Praise of Parsnips
I threw seeds into the growing bed this fall. The carrots had been pulled and weeds hoed. While cleaning out my brother’s apartment, I had found some old packets of radish and parsnips seeds. I am not sure why Stanley … Continue reading
Rhizomatic Faith
I fell in love with milkweeds in Kansas City. About a dozen species can be found in the fields and ditches. The bright orange of the butterfly-weed flashed like a neon light in a sea of prairie, but my delight … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, nature, On Faith
Tagged Faith, Hidden life in God, Milkweed, Rhizomes
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I Don’t Know What to Do
“Where’s doggy?” Ari asked again with the persistence of a three-year old. He had gone with us to the vet when we took Mira to be euthanized. Too filled with my own grief and choking on my tears, I had … Continue reading