I had a nice trip home to California, although it poured rain the first few days and I got blamed for bringing it from Seattle. It was so good to see all my family, especially my grandparents. They have not been well recently, so there was some question whether they would be able to come to their own party honoring 65 years of marriage. Luckily they were feeling better and were able to attend surrounded by most of their immediate family.

It was a quick trip, so I spent only 2 nights in my old home. I was enjoying myself, but also kept curiously bursting into tears.

One traumatic event was seeing the corpse of my childhood tree. We had the most amazing Black Walnut Tree in our back yard. It had quite a robust trunk and stood maybe 50 feet tall. The best part was that it had a giant tree limb, almost like a whole other tree, growing right out the side of it. This huge limb grew out and swooped down to the ground like an enormous elephant trunk reaching out to help you climb aboard. We logged a million kid hours on that tree, using it as a play house, a jungle gym, and a swing. I would stay up in the tree all day long, playing and getting nourishment from its constant supply of walnuts. I learned how to crack walnuts by crushing two together in the palm of my hand.

Of course the clich� is that you grow up and forget all about the tree. I cannot even recall the last time I climbed it.

The rich folks who bought up the walnut orchard that bordered our property did not like that tree hanging over their ugly-ass shed they built recently, so they somehow convinced my dad the tree was dying and cut it down. I tried not to look while I was there, but I could not help it. The space that was its home for over 100 years is now so sad and empty. I gave the uprooted tree stump a kiss in its hearty center and said thank you as best as I could.

Space Holder. - February 12, 2012

BEAUTIFUL BOY - August 26, 2011

COUNTDOWN - July 13, 2011

SEXAY - June 16, 2011

BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS - May 30, 2011