A morning of sunshine, so satisfying. The ground is so wet from rain and cool cloudy days the mushrooms are sprouting like mad under all the trees, in the meadow, all along the trail, in all shapes and sizes. The river stands still, we pass by, and I’m feeling elated to see that Split Rock Review is published today with two of my poems, both first drafted in the late fall of 2016. One mother poem, one father poem. This morning as I walk in the woods I feel their presence, especially as I walk past the brook on our property that freezes in winter – and a photo I took of it in 2016 inspired my poem about skating on ponds, “The Trouble of Us.” Tonight, at Unity Farm Sanctuary, I begin a journey with a new photo inspired writing group. After the writing prompts, the sharing is immediately deep. Teaching is so nourishing. What the participants said they felt, at the end of the evening, was gratitude. Me too.