Another A+ departure for Wave this morning. Dipping egg, and a necessary race around the driveway so he can outrun me on his way to the car before school. How lucky I am he keeps me in shape. My daughter and I have done a great job sharing the out-the-door-for-school tasks this week. Tomorrow, perhaps a bit of a sleep-in. I even mixed up a double batch of molasses cookies before he left so that I could get them into the fridge to chill. And, thankfully, he seems to have forgotten the cat. And thankfully, warmer air moved in so it’s not painful to open the door. And sun, a brightness I wanted to walk in, and so I decided to stay outside in it and not swim. My aunt was happy to have me come for a visit, which is why I baked the two batches of cookies. At Christmas time I wanted to bring them to her and her friends/residents as a holiday treat, but didn’t go because of my cold. So, today was the day. I got the double batch baked, packed, and had a lovely afternoon sitting in her room, drinking tea, talking family genealogy and sharing cookies with the residents. My aunt and uncle, years ago, did a ton of work on our ancestry, and now the box of the materials is in my possession and I want to go through it with her while I can. It was fun handing the cookies out and meeting everyone. Instead of listening to news, I listened there and back to Thomas Hardy’s Return of the Native which I have never read. It’s narrated wonderfully by the actor Alan Rickman. Kept me entertained on the road. I am pleased to have five poems up on The Nature of Our Times project website today with many other fine poets. I can’t remember where I heard about this submission opportunity, but it’s open until Jan. 15.

Poems on America’s Lands, Waters, Wildlife, and Other Natural Wonders

A companion to the First National Nature Assessment (NNA1), Forthcoming, Fall 2025 from Paloma Press, in collaboration with Wick Poetry Center at Kent State University and Poets for Science