Tallahassee Journal by Margaret E. McColley

                                                                              On a wintry day in January, 2018, our mother Diane left this gorgeous world. She did so in the same way she did many things: thoughtfully, and on her own, so as not to disturb anyone. We, her multiple children, were en route to see her when she slipped away. In this way we were forced to switch our plans from saying our goodbyes solemnly and sadly to begin the process of celebrating her life, in the style of a wake, as the wondrous woman and creator she was: of children, of poems, of books, of scholars for whom she served as mentor. This is about something that happened four months later during our official life celebration for mom, at a welcoming sacred space that felt like "home" that day, The Church of the...

What is an "ideal day" for you?  At Leslie Hanks' Yoga Unlimited Studio and Yoga Gardens, an ideal day is composed of Leslie's favorite ingredients: an abundance of fresh garden herbs and vegetables, Ayurvedic recipes, students of Yoga and Ayurveda, graduates of her Yoga Teacher Training and Ayurveda school, and longtime friends who practice at the studio. Leslie's home is fashioned in such a way that she can demonstrate preparations of Ayurvedic cuisine while students listen, smell, and share stories of their grandmothers' recipes, of their own garden riches, and of what has and hasn't been working for them in the kitchen and in their broader lives.  When dishes have all been prepared, poured into serving bowls and garnished, we set the table together in a circle on the floor, laying out linens and silverware, ceramic plates and accoutrements, and then the dishes themselves. From every seated position there is a view through one of the s...

One of the places I go for peace and equanimity is Lake Ella, in Tallahassee. Many elements intermingle there:    A glassy water surface    People of all ages tuning in to the lake, walking alone and together    A variety of water birds: herons, egrets, ducks, geese, anhingas    Very tiny ducklings trailing mama in orderly ways    Fluffy goslings feeding in the grasses    Splashings of all the animals in the water    Turtles bobbing their heads up and down, up, and down.    Spanish moss dripping down the trees marking her edges.    Lake Ella is the "nombril" of this city, yet she always draws an outward gaze onto her ecosystem.   The name "Ella" means "magical fairy" in the English tradition, and magic is indeed circulating here.   Yet in those moments when jazz is floating across the lake from a solo performer,    I feel the soulful presence of ...

Bienvenue! Welcome to my Blog. I'm trying to create something that will help heal in some way. Please pipe in. Yesterday my friend Lynne and I had plans to travel to the Gulf coast, which fell through when we learned of impending thunderstorms. We decided to travel instead to Thomasville, GA, where we spent the day strolling, dining, waiting at stop lights for a long time before crossing by foot at sleepy intersections, hydrating, rehydrating, poring over books and book reviews, sharing pie, purchasing coffee beans, and talking about writing. First, however, Lynne introduced me to an oak tree:                                             Above@Jonah's Shrimp and Grits                 ...