Oksana's family album with the headless knight on the cover, containing photos from before the October Revolution. Her grandpa told us stories of the people in the photos, Ukranian Jews living in the Soviet Union. I felt so privileged to listen. I urged him to write the stories down one day, but he said he wouldn't. I think he felt that no one would understand.

Another one of that tourist cave in Thailand.

Dad's ever-pilfered grapes.

This is where we buried my dog at Reed Creek.

Pussywillow branches for sale before Palm Sunday.

At Whitetop.

"Abba Doulas, the disciple of Abba Bessarion, said: When we were walking along the sea one day, I was thirsty, so I said to Abba Bessarion, Abba, I am very thirsty. Then the old man prayed, and said to me, Drink from the sea. The water was sweet when I drank it. And I poured it into a flask, so that I would not be thirsty later. Seeing this, the old man asked me, Why are you doing that? I answered, Excuse me, but it's so that I won't be thirsty later on. Then the old man said, God is here, and God is everywhere."

From Desert Wisdom: Sayings From the Desert Fathers, translated by Yushi Nomura.

Indulging my love of foliage!

Dad at the ridge.

Some more from the reservoir.

More Reed Creek.

At the park where I work, right along the Appalachian Trail, is a little pearl of a high-elevation bog. You could walk right by it without realizing it's there.

At Reed Creek.

Edit: Found another one of the bamboo patch!

Some hemlocks.