The Attic Atheneum and Mochi

Well, I don't seem to blog much anymore, but I will share two things: one is that I got a new kitten and he just ran up my back as I wrote that. Ten weeks old, got him from the Oregon Humane Society. His name is Mochi. My older cat, Emma Lou, is not too happy so far. She prefers to be the solitary queen. But I have faith that they will be friends eventually.

Perhaps more importantly (or not, kittens are very important), I was offered a slot in a great writing program, the Attic Atheneum. This means I get to work on my writing and study creative non-fiction with Karen Karbo and Cheryl Strayed for a year. Pretty wonderful opportunity. I took a class at the Attic with Karen last winter and I have been a fan of Cheryl's writing for years now (I especially recommend this gorgeous essay on loss). So this is exciting. Perhaps I should get back to working on my writing now, instead of silly blog posts... If you don't see me posting here, you'll know that's what I'm doing (either that or playing with kitties...).

Some links I like lately...

So I never post here anymore, but I thought instead I would share some of my other favorite blogs and web sites lately.

Carly's Baby and Fulbright in Brazil: My friend Carly, who I met in high school, recently moved to Brazil to research graffiti, married a Brazilian, and had a baby girl. That's the short version. I have really enjoyed reading about her adventures and reconnecting with her lately.

A blog post about Rootworks, women's land that was established in the 70s, where a few of my friends now live in Southern Oregon.

Mind Deep: A Mindfulness Practice Blog: After I did a five day Vipassana/Insight Meditation retreat recently at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center I went looking for stuff about insight meditation online (I have been doing these retreats for ten years, but always a new perspective...). This one is really good, I really appreciate her perspective, and the great quotes she digs up.

Dharmaseed.org: An amazing resource. A huge collection of Dharma talks by a wide variety of Buddhist teachers, free to download (donations welcome). Rebecca Bradshaw taught the retreat I did last month, so I downloaded quite a few of hers from there.

BuddhistGeeks: Really cool web site and podcast where they interview all kinds of Buddhist teachers, musicians, and just people with interesting perspectives on Buddhist topics.

Vida: Women in Literary Arts: A really great site with articles by various interesting women writers about women's relationships to writing and the writing community/industry.

Women and Happiness

Just wanted to let you all know that one of my former writing teachers, Ariel Gore, has a new blog these days, Women and Happiness. She is also about to have a new book, of almost the same name, Women and the New Psychology of Happiness, which I plan to get as soon as it's out.

Happie's 90th!

My grandmother, Happie, turned 90 last month. Last weekend we had a big party to celebrate. It was so sweet to have some many of her friends come down to Portland from Seattle (maybe 15-20 of them?), so much family there from Seattle and the east coast, and my lovely friends. Here are a few highlights.

My beautiful garden!

I think being on Facebook is what's making me neglect my blog. But I am happy to share some pictures of my garden, the first real garden I have ever had, thanks to the encouragement and support of the Urban Farm Collective. So far, having fresh zucchini and beets is pretty amazing.

Red spinich

Chard

Baby beets

Zucchini

Overhead view.

Myshkin shows...

Been way too long since I checked in here, oops. Life gets pretty crazy. Musicians, concerts, kids, grandmothers, potlucks, new housemates....

Just wanted to let you know that the brilliant Myshkin is doing a short Northwest tour this weekend, all three nights of which I will be along for and two of which are with Seattle's Led to Sea (aka Alex Guy). Please do come out and see us (I won't be performing, but you can still see me), I promise you will not be disappointed. I'll include some quotes and stuff about Myshkin below.

fri. march 20 (tonight!!) House Concert - Seattle, WA - 209 NW 60th St - Myshkin with Led to Sea - 8pm - $15 - RSVP to: eliwest@gmail.com ***this is a great house concert series at the home of my friend Eli***

sat. march 21 The Raven and Finch - Ilwaco, WA (this is a sweet wine bar near Astoria, OR) - 215 Howerton Way - 8pm - $5

sun. march 22 Alberta Street Pub - Portland, OR - Myshkin's Ruby Warblers with Led to Sea - 8pm - $10 advance / $12 at door - for tickets go to www.shiningcitymusic.com


Myshkin took a year off from music in 2008 to build a cob and straw bale studio in the mountains of southern Oregon, and is currently working to finish her latest and most ambitious record, heart thumping to get back on the road. Myshkin plays an eighty-year old Martin tenor guitar, a vintage Gibson six-string, and a jumbo Lowden acoustic. But her voice is her finest instrument, and she wields it like a fortune-teller, an acrobat, a hunter, a gift.

"Both lyrical and politically pointed. A rich blend topped with her broad-ranging, keening voice." - The Washington Post

"Myshkin's voice is not to be taken lightly. A gorgeous rich alto infused with natural drama and melancholy, and best applied to her own songs: hushed one-act plays that speak volumes." - The New Orleans Times Picayune

"Dark, smoky folk-jazz. Gripping, affecting and disquieting." - Read Magazine

Heather on PHC, again.

Well this time it's too late to catch it on the radio, but Heather (new web site) was on Prairie Home Companion again, this time live from Duluth. I think Garrison likes her... So, you can listen to it online here, the whole show as well as a clip of her own song, "Mittens." Myself, I recommend listening to the medley she did (Battle Hymn of the Republic/I Shall Be Released/Wade in the Water). Go to about 77:30, then listen for about 6 mins: