Waking before dawn with today’s to-do’s scrolling through my mind, I felt choked up just brewing a cup of tea – compile tax info, update Dad’s expenses, call the accountant, brush the dog, vacuum up the dog hair, do the laundry, work a closing shift at the bookstore,...

…to accept what is. My old dog, Sandy, is almost thirteen. We walk together nearly every day on the trails at the base of the Sandia Mountains for which he is named. These days his walk can wobble. When a jackrabbit crosses his path, he speeds up to a teetering trot,...

Most geologists I know have desks and shelves in their offices and homes littered with rocks and minerals. We're perpetual kids who never give up our rock collections. One morning in the late '80's, I stood beside the desk of my officemate, Mike. He was telling me...