The war raged, but in the city, we moved freely. Though the sound of gunshots was rare, signs of the perpetual crisis were all around. Most notably, the grocery store was never fully stocked. Let me rephrase. The shelves might be full, but the store continually lacked bare necessities. One day the aisle would be… Read More Crisis Expectations
I’ve been on many a safari. In English usage, the word ‘safari’ is used almost exclusively to describe an animal-viewing expedition in Africa. Having grown up on the continent, however, I like to use the word in the context of its native tongue. ‘Safari’ simply means journey in Swahili. Like many words in Swahili, it… Read More The Trigger Scent of Safari
The hunt began the moment I walked through customs. Being Mongolia, you might think this hunt takes place on horseback in the remote steppe, using the sharp eyes and talons of an eagle. But those are very skilled hunters. I haven’t been trained in that kind of hunting. I walked to the grocery store down… Read More The Hunt – Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
I grabbed my upholstery fabric, memorably purchased in Jerusalem’s old city in 2017. I think he said the perfectly patterned material was made in Syria. My craigslist find 1980’s chair was already in the back of the minivan. After I dropped my youngest kids off with a friend, I drove 20 minutes to my favorite… Read More Globalized locally
Fifteen miles inland, the BBC reporter told me last night, is an inland sea. The ocean no longer stops at the shore in central Mozambique, but has moved miles inland. The river has become a bay, drowning the city. This was a shore where as a high-schooler I explored ship wrecks, played sand volleyball and… Read More Catastrophe in Mozambique – have you heard?
A downside of not having a washer and dryer at home is that time must be set aside to go to a laundromat. An upside of not having a washer and dryer at home is that all the week’s laundry gets done in 1.5 hours. Downside is I can’t throw random loads in, willy nilly,… Read More Dispatch from the laundromat
As the sun rose in the east, the neighbor’s heavy-laden avocado tree glowed pink with new light. The palm trees gently shook their fronds as the temperature began its morning rise, eventually reaching a pleasant 65 degrees. But we weren’t preparing to stay and enjoy the weather. We had a picnic to pack and chains… Read More San Diego – climatic dissonance
I couldn’t wrap my head around it. Up to that point in my life, I didn’t know such an experience existed. Cognitive dissonance. When we returned home, that day was the one we told everyone about. It was ten years ago, but four children and many relocations later, I remember it like it was maybe… Read More Morocco – climatic dissonance
“Time to take down the tree that smells like vomit and clean up the huge mess.” A friend posted something along those lines on social media recently. Indeed, rotting tree stump is an unpleasant aroma. And I know I’ll be finding needles under the couch at least until Memorial Day. As I carefully removed the… Read More The Journey Tree
Seasonal traditions aren’t constrained by climate. I have celebrated many a Christmas in the southern hemisphere, sweat pouring from my brow, dripping onto the wrapping paper on my lap from a just-opened gift. Christmas doesn’t always mean snow, cold, and a warm fire. I have spent Easters anticipating the cool-ish rains, glad to leave the… Read More Pumpkin Patch Island Style – Oahu, Hawaii
