The jasmine is in bloom. They meander and tangle themselves all along the fences of our property.  I know what time of the year it is simply by their arrival.  It’s spring.  Along with them come a canyon full of unwanted shrubs.  Usually the ornery off-shoots of the scattered pepper trees.   Recently I stood at the edge of our balcony and gazed upon the landscaping and thought to myself of the plants which were intentionally positioned not [...]

Recently I boarded a plan in Houston to make my way home to San Diego. I’d spent five, luxurious days loving on some of my children and being loved on by them. My eldest son, Benjamin and daughter-in-love, Jen; my nieces Lauren and Emily and her husband Mike and their new, little bundle of loveliness, Hazel Rose. I now have officially dubbed her “The Hazel Rose of Texas”. I had an aisle seat, so no dark abyss to sink my eyes into. Just [...]

Seems like that’s been the theme for the month of February.  This website building business for dianelowery.com has turned out to be more self-searching than I ever had expected.  As a matter of fact, I just so naively assumed that I could bust out at the gate and go.  No.  It’s a process and one that has its own particular demands.  And it’s not just one aspect!  It’s many.  What I thought was an apple; skin, fruit, [...]

Suspended from our balcony roof line hang four feeders.  One is for the hummingbirds; the remaining three trays are for the wild birds.  Every morning I make my way out to the long deck and fill each one of those feeders and this morning I decided to stand quietly on the corner and be in the activity of the first rush.  It’s almost like there’s some invisible neon sign that flashes over the canyon below that says OPEN.  The hummers silently battle for [...]