Janine Donoho's Blog, page 3
July 6, 2015
The Inherent Music of Storytelling by Janine Donoho
“Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon the incongruous.” –Yehudi Menuhin Melodic impulse suffuses our lives. We’re creatures of rhythm, beginning with biological cadence—the rush and wash of our mother’s blood sustains us. Our emotional responses to […]
June 22, 2015
Going There by Janine Donoho
There is no such thing as “race.” Really. This toxic sorting process to stratify according to skin color has no basis and the human construct of “race” is just that—a fabrication. With yet another mass murder of exemplary people by one who’s not-so-much, I’m giving my inner biologist full rein. Let’s keep this short, […]
June 21, 2015
Celebrating Dads in a Solstice Garden by Janine Donoho
With the double joys of summer solstice and remarkable dads getting their due, this post celebrates both. As happens so often, my photos perform word service. My intent? That you’ll feel buoyant and refreshed as you return to your celebrations. Wildflowers and mature gardens punctuate summer solstice in our northern climes. We plant our garden […]
June 15, 2015
Twitterpated with Wild Turkey by Janine Donoho
During our nearly 200 hikes yearly, we revel in seasonal birdlife, although twitterpated spring and wildcare summer offer choicest viewing times. As avian couples woo and mate, then raise their young, you glimpse variations on parenting themes. For wild turkeys, commitment shy toms have all the fun while hens band together to raise their broods. […]
June 8, 2015
Cherry Blossoms Deconstructed by Janine Donoho
Throughout March’s billowy gusts and slushy melts, I learned one hundred Japanese words and phrases promised to express 1,000 ideas. Two hour hikes with Nina Sophia filled with practice sessions until she recognized “O-tearai wa loko desu ka?” as an important question, although probably not as “Where’s the bathroom?” By the Ides of March, I knew the names of the snow […]
June 1, 2015
Blue Queens and Dragon’s Blood—Meandering the Spring Garden Rooms by Janine Donoho
The earth laughs in flowers. – Ralph Waldo Emerson With my edible annuals uncurling their cotyledons toward the sun, it’s time to inhale deeply and appreciate our other garden rooms. As a huge fan of perennials in this high desert environ, I cherish wandering through a decade of xeriscape plantings. Along the way, survivors offer […]
May 25, 2015
Indian Wolves, Mata Puteh, and Lime Juice in Singapore by Janine Donoho
A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. – John Steinbeck Travel to Singapore coincided with Intrepid Guy’s work. While waiting for his ship, we […]
May 18, 2015
Garden of Eating (Earth Whispers – Part 2) by Janine Donoho
Even as our beautiful living space known as Planet Earth heats beyond her best health, when spring comes to these highlands, my yearning turns to my annual Mediterranean garden. When we moved here over a decade ago, we immediately laid out our garden rooms with the most sacrosanct going to my vegetable and fruit space. […]
May 11, 2015
Open Arrivals by Janine Donoho
A good traveler has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu Travel tactics adapt well to life in general and writing, specifically. My favorite journeys coincide with few fixed plans and an open view of what can be experienced in the moment. Yes, I relish travel books that highlight the amazing, and even […]
May 4, 2015
Earth Whispers Part 1 by Janine Donoho
A proposal: let’s make every day Earth Day. Yes, my hair’s still on fire over climate change, yet I’m learning to walk the walk of a calm-assertive. Thank you, Cesar Millan. This approach comes from dealing with those fearful aggressives known as Deniers, Birthers, and Birchers (DBBs). Just call me an earth whisperer. Those of […]
