Author Archives: maryangelis

Autumn trailed away with some nice parting views. This house had a dainty planter at the front gate, holding miniature succulents. Here are some implausibly tall cottonwood trees (the picture can’t do justice to their towering height or the glorious … Continue reading →

Just for the record: this plant is not stolen. Our building management said I could dig up a geranium from their planter and take it indoors out of the frost. Here is how it looks now. That night I was … Continue reading →

This week a friendly enthusiastic kind and caring young woman asked, “So do you have big plans for Thanksgiving?” I said “Well, Thanksgiving is for families at home, and I don’t have family at mine.” She lit up with a … Continue reading →

There’s an ideal that I’ve been pondering for years about “holiday spirit” and all its associations. This is all just an anthropologist on or from Mars talking, who has never set up a holiday for a houseful of people or … Continue reading →

American Sign Language (ASL) is not a language of mine, and I have no background or proficiency in Deaf communities or cultures. This account is sure to contain mistakes in terminology and perceptions. I apologize and will correct this account … Continue reading →

Note: As always, any character details have to be pastiched around with great care for everybody’s sake. A white Spitz might be borrowed from Chekhov, and might really be a red Pomeranian. Who knows? That sort of thing. If any … Continue reading →

This weekend a major self-cheering campaign was in order. Where to start?? Well, there is always some task worth doing, and always some person worth reaching out to for company. Well, there’s our good senior neighbor who makes her careful … Continue reading →

That was Wednesday’s alert on airnow.gov for the atmospheric presence of Fine Particulate Matter. For the day, the local news said we had the worst air quality of any city in the world. To be fair, it’s not yet winter. … Continue reading →

After work I should have walked home all the way. Instead I felt sluggish and heavy somehow, and couldn’t summon the enthusiasm to schlep along for 66 blocks with the usual assortment of Mason jars, library books, and everything else. … Continue reading →

There was nothing wrong with The Loneliness Sermon two weeks ago at the strong Bible-based church up the road. It’s just that I figured that The Sermon was a specialty for the Catholic and Orthodox instead. In this church I … Continue reading →