Landfill Harmonics: a creative approach to reaching impoverished youth in Paraguay.
01
Dec
2012
The Danger of a Single Story
In this TED talk, Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Adichie, speaks so eloquently about the kinds of stories I’d like to write and see more of:
20
Nov
2012
Room With a View Remains Unfinished
All summer, I looked forward to my new writing room in the strawbale house we’re building. I figured it would still need some work, but it would be good enough for me to settle in for the long winter, watch the snow fall and catch up on writing projects. But alas, we were overly optimistic [...]Read More
08
Sep
2012
What I’ve Been Doing Besides Writing
It’s amazing I’ve found time for any writing at all this summer. Here’s a sampling of some other distractions….Read More
18
Aug
2012
“Beyond Writing” Resurrected
Long ago (1994), I wrote and published an essay in Cultural Anthropology titled “Beyond Writing: Feminism and the Limitations of Ethnography.” That was in many ways my swan song to academia. As I licked my academic and other wounds and struggled to make ends meet, I was happy now and then to hear how my [...]Read More
15
Aug
2012
Included in the Women’s How-To Issue
I’m proud to have my blog post on Moving Rattlesnakes Humanely included in the How-To Issue….Read More
23
Feb
2012
A Weekend With Draft Horses
Among a long list of foolish things I’m taking up in my maturing years, I can now add learning how to work with draft horses. I don’t know how far I’ll take this interest. One thing that sunk in at a recent weekend workshop is how steep the learning curve is and how dangerous it [...]Read More
08
Feb
2012
Writing With Two Eyes
One of the weights I carry from my academic days is a fear that in telling my story of living and working in Nepal, I’ll be appropriating The Other. As weights go, it could be a lot worse; I’m not complaining. But I’m always delighted and relieved to find others grappling with the same question in creative ways….Read More
30
Jan
2012
Life and Death for Nepali Migrant Workers
Such a sad and all too common story from Nepal. Breaks my heart.
26
Jul
2011
The Road Less Traveled…
…and that was the problem. Not maintained, rutted, overgrown on either side, the mile long drive is the only way by vehicle in and out of this abandoned homestead we now spend half the year on….Read More
23
Jun
2011
Solstice Sunset
24
May
2011
Enraptured Piglet
On the day of the predicted rapture, I was too busy to follow the news of its not happening — busy taking care of all that was actually happening….Read More
21
Feb
2011
Urban Homesteading in Portland and Beyond
Urban homesteading is not usually the term I use to refer to what I’ve been doing for the best twelve years or so. I tend towards kitchen gardening or urban farming. And these days, I’m transitioning towards rural food production at Amaranta Farm. But I see those who do call themselves urban homesteaders as allies in the same movement, and I’d like to see that movement grow….Read More
23
Nov
2010
Surprised by Light
After a busy day of dealing with car repairs and shopping for Thanksgiving food, I didn’t want to walk the dog in our nearby park. I really didn’t. (…)Read More
31
Oct
2010
Where I Write…
More like, “Where I Try to Write.” I’m about to head back to the city for the winter. As much as I’m looking forward to an indoor toilet and indoor shower, I’m also longing for a private writing space (…)Read More
29
Aug
2010
Race for the Pears
It’s that time of year again, when my taste buds give up on peaches and berries and begin longing for crunchy pears and apples (…)Read More
04
Jul
2010
Wren Independence Day
The house wrens nesting on our yurt porch chose this morning, the 4th of July, to shoo their young ones out of the nest. TweetShareRead More
28
May
2010
Shower Under the Apple Tree
People often ask me what it’s like to live in a yurt. As I wrote in an essay published in The Smoking Poet last Fall, much of the living goes on around the yurt rather than in it. And that’s as it should be with a shelter traditionally used by nomads. Take the shower. There’s [...]Read More
17
Mar
2010
My Gaelic Name
I revised my St. Patrick’s Day post from last year and posted it at Fictionaut. A commenter there bestowed on me the Gaelic version of Elizabeth….Read More
