And one by one the nights between our separated cities are joined to the night that unites us.

~ Pablo Neruda

Snow in the morning falling lightly over the river and soon gone. I go out early with Charlie and my daughter. We don’t get far; but far enough. It will take some time to get my walking groove back in this habitat and time. There are many distractions. The mother goose is absent from her nest in the wetlands. Father goose is absent too. In these wetlands I took some of the pictures that will be published in About Place Journal soon, I found out, published by the Black Earth Institute. They will print all five, I think, that I sent them. I feel so pleased about this all day.

About The Black Earth Institute

Black Earth Institute, the publisher of About Place Journal, is a progressive think-tank dedicated to re-forging the links between art and spirit, earth and society. Black Earth Institute encourages awareness of the arts as a means of promoting a progressive, inclusively spiritual and environmentally aware society. The organization gathers artists and audience members to further understanding of the historical role of the artist as bringing forth wisdom from beyond the self.

Black Earth Institute promotes the oracle and orator, griot and druid, scientist and prophet, priest and priestess. We oppose the current definition of art as a commercial product derived from exploitation of personality and rewarded by celebrity and market status. We uphold the arts as a sacred path to wisdom, and we celebrate the artist as a seeker whose work benefits the entire human community.

I have a powerful day producing a webinar for the IWWG with Cynthia Manick, and a powerful night running my monthly critique group and hearing the writing from participants near and far. I talk to friends; I listen to friends. I make homemade pizzas, delicious, for dinner'. I lay eyes on my son who needs some items from the house but cannot come in because he is protecting someone he is staying with and cannot risk being near anyone. I am happy to see him. I am in awe of the doctors and health care workers I know. They are heroes and heroines, they are risking so much for so many. Tonight my husband led another AA meeting on Zoom, and he says he will lead one tomorrow night too. (Reader, do you know anyone in need of a videoconference meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous? All are welcome. E-mail me and I’ll send you the way to contact my husband to get the Zoom link anonymously). I miss Charlie. How can this be? He is here and I am here and we are walking together. But I haven’t completely landed. I haven’t had the time or focus to really, really be with Charlie in our habitat and wander. I am longing for Charlie and the way we have of being in tune with each other, with the day, with the path under our feet and our ears open and our instincts following scents. I'm coming, Charlie. Promise.