Trying on handwoven ponchos, Peru, July 2016 A year ago, I published this essay that centered around a bone I buried in my yard, on direction from my character, shall we say. It was an offering, old-school:

"I buried the bone in my backyard, under the Japanese maple tree, as Puma told me to. I would have thought the offering should be left in the wilderness, in the high places, close to the mountain gods. But no, under this tree in our tiny yard, the dense weave of city life just beyond the fence. When I listened, I heard: that was what Puma wanted."

My mentor Deena Metzger said: Spirit wanted you to be the woman who would bury a bone in your yard.  We were talking about how to balance multiple realities - how to be a writer in conversation with spirit, Muse, character, however you want to refer to the mysterious sources of story, and then go to Trader Joe's. Because I'm a mom, so there's a lot of food shopping. And telling small people Hurry up and put your shoes on, we are leaving right this minute.  Mundane, everyday life pressed ... more