Category Archives: biking

Dogs in the road: encountering fear.

Posted on September 7, 2014 by

Last Sunday I was finishing up a 2-day, 40-mile bike ride to celebrate my 40th birthday, and it took me past a house where I knew there were dogs.  They’d barked at me before but never left the yard; I … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, biking, resilience, women | 4 Comments

Afoot in the world.

Posted on April 22, 2012 by

Back on the bike for a big day of riding today, the first in too long a time, under a sky so blue it hurt to look at it.  This was the kind of sunny, windy April day that has … Continue reading →

Posted in attention, biking, body, community, culture, Driftless region, politics, self-reliance | 1 Comment

Seven little gifts of November.

Posted on November 23, 2011 by

1) Seven Meyer lemons from my own little tree, now two years old.  (The seventh one is still a little green at the tip, so I’m leaving it on there till the last minute.  I think I’m going to use … Continue reading →

Posted in attention, biking, gratitude | 2 Comments

Buon giorno, Signor Bianchi:, or, enchanting the world.

Posted on November 19, 2011 by

“If I had influence with the good fairy who is supposed to preside over the christening of all children I should ask that her gift to each child in the world be a sense of wonder so indestructible that it … Continue reading →

Posted in animals, art, attention, biking, mystery, spirit, writing | 2 Comments

Early fall, in fragrance and light.

Posted on September 5, 2011 by

Last night it became impossible to ignore.  Clipping a stem from my backdoor rosemary pot and stripping its leaves into a pork, tomato, onion, and garlic stuffing for peppers (thank you, dear Nigel Slater), I smelled the green cedary tang … Continue reading →

Posted in attention, biking, Driftless region, food, gardening, gratitude, seasons | 2 Comments

A dozen lessons from a bike.

Posted on July 13, 2011 by

Inspired by today’s ride through a perfect Northeast Iowa summer evening, things I learn and relearn from my simple old machine: 1) If I just get started, it will get easier from there.  This applies to everything. 2) From a … Continue reading →

Posted in attention, biking, body, community, Driftless region, gratitude, seasons, self-reliance | 4 Comments