Mary's Heartbeats

Believe it or not?  Yes, we actually are having April showers.  It's a quiet rain that has hung around for the past 3-4 days.  Often, you are not sure if it's there until you are outside in it, because it doesn't pour forth in a relentless pounding which is much more typical for Southern California rain.  But it seems to be doing the job, as the ground around us has grown greener and more colorful with all kinds of Spring time blossoms.  I find it soothing to watch it fall outside my kitchen window.  Even my "Beanstalk transplant" of one week ago finally seems to have settled in.  No, it wasn't happy with the move, and drooped most of the week, despite my consoling and constant watering.  I tried to remind it of all the space it has to grow in, since it's out of the crowded box.  My only response from it was more wilting.  But yesterday, I caught a glimmer of hope, as I saw its bottom leaves perking up.  Ah hah! There is still lif...

It seems like it doesn't take much water to light up a Spring time flurry of blossoms and growth.  I am in awe of the spectacular beauty of roses, flowers, trees, vegetables and herbs that appear thrilled with the sunshine and occasional raindrops.  I am always surprised with what shows up in my yard.  Today, I am going to transplant my "Beanstalk."  I still do not know how it arrived in my yard.  At first it grew up by my rosemary and sage, and I thought it to be a pretty weed.  Last summer, it transplanted itself into the corner of my vegetable box and thrived until it got hit with  December's cold.  I thought I had pulled it out, but now in the last few weeks, it has grown back with a vengeance, and obviously is going to need more space than a crowded corner.  Plus, I need to let it know, it's not a vegetable. . .  But my favorite activity this Spring has been watching the birth of baby hummingbirds.  It's always just a gre...

Wow, here it is!  Rain, real wet drops of moisture filling up the sky and pouring down in buckets across our backyard.  Even a bit of thunder accompanied our morning storm.  It is only the 3rd time of rain since the start of the New Year.  Our area has been gypped so far from the hope of El Nino, since most of the rain has stayed up north.  Southern California has been like the forgotten step child , the one betrayed . . . Nature seems to be in a sad struggle.  The beautiful blue Earth that came from a planet of darkness without shape or form, is betrayed by its inhabitants.  We have abused our first responsibility granted to us by our Creator as we continue to ravage, pillage and rape the land.  Within my lifetime, 50 % of animal spe cies and fish no longer exist.  It seems that greed is our only motivation, and never being able to s atisfy it s urge we are willing to even betray all that we were entrusted with, even to betray ourselve...

What a difference a week can make!  This same time last weekend, I was laid out in bed, with a terribly stuffy head cold and sinus congestion.  Essential peppermint oil seemed to relieve my headache somewhat, and hot tea loosened the perpetual "lovely phlegm" that slithered down my throat.  The coughing gagged me, and I found myself emitting forceful barks of hoarseness.  The Gilmore Girls kept company with me as I dosed in and out of their weekend marathon. But today is a new beginning, the sunshine felt wonderful as I took Goldy on a morning walk, I was beginning to feel a-l-i-v-e. . . but not . . . Here it is a n additional ten days beyond those words that were supposed to remind me of how well I was. But to my chagrin , I developed even worse symptoms of perpetual sneezing, constant d ripping, incessant coughing.  I have n ever been a person of allergies, and yet th is second round of "illness" felt very allergy like.  Yes, my yard is full of tr...

It was one of those moments, you just had to capture in a picture!  There you were with your buds, on a mountain top, with the very One that you had proclaimed to be the Messiah.  Just a week before, Jesus had asked his comrades, "Who do people say that I am?"  And you, Peter, got it right, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  Now, you are witnessing not only Jesus shining brightly in His Shekinah glory, but Moses and Elijah, the pillars of your Jewish faith are there as well.  They all are in conversation that you are hearing.   Your heart is pounding, you've got to save this moment of time forever, so your response is "let's build booths for all you guys!" Making shrines will keep this moment real, so Peter thought. I had to chuckle as I read that story of Peter once again.  I understand why Jesus came at a time of no instant selfies.  I am sure if Jesus was to show up now, folks would be more interested in taking a selfie with ...

Finally, rain has come!  2016 announced its first week with pounding rain and surf.  The ground unsure as to what to do with all this water, provides mostly run off and flooding.  People forget how to drive, especially when it comes to slowing down.  No, it seems that their thought is, " if I drive faster, I'll beat the rain!"  The surprise is the cold air that has come with the showers. It's a coldness that bites your nose and settles in the hollow of your bones.  It certainly rebels against our reputation as "warm sunny California."  I don't have any resolutions, but I am more resolute as I begin this year.  Each day brings  hope, chance and grace, just by being able to awaken to it.  But like the forgetful d rivers, I too found my self trying to beat the "rain" of work stress pounding down on my intentions. This time of year brings a mi ndless activity of "documenting a document," all for the sake of your practice to get a few...