I’m feeling guilty for abandoning my responsibilities as a blogger. Partly that’s been because I’ve been busy with things that don’t seem blog worthy, or too personal even for me to disclose in so public a forum.

Mostly I’ve been enjoying showing my friends and family the wonders of the Sonoran desert and feeling grateful for blue skies. But also making new friends here and wondering how to split my time between my northwestern and southwestern homes. I feel the winds of change blowing…

I’ve been communicating with a couple of migrant women who are awaiting their asylum appeals–bringing them groceries and supplies, buying tamales to support their self employment, just staying in touch. This humble activity, along with a very moving Hands Off rally I attended in Tucson are helping me feel less impotent in the face of so much global chaos.

But I’ve also been putting my writing energy into a deeply meaningful project that I’ve been hesitant to reveal, in case of failure. I’m writing a graphic memoir about my late son Miles. Having never written a book before, the learning curve is quite steep. Beyond the writing, there’s the illustrators, editors, publishers, agents—all roles I know nothing about, but I’m finding out. So, in the name of shameless self promotion, I will keep you all posted!

In a week I will be traveling back to Oregon with a friend who’s flying down here just for the Nomad Moon van adventure. Me, Yvonne (who’s allergic to cats) and Dobby will make our way north like Don Quixote, Sancho Panza and Rucio. Ah, I can hardly wait to pen that voyage!