Grasping Good

 

Meet the small team behind the Watch Duty app giving life-saving wildfire updates

LINK 5:35 minutes

Thanks to Marti for sharing the video above and thanks to the folks at Watch Duty for all of their hard work.

The amount of good they have done can't be measured.

The amount of teaching they've done...amazing! I've learned so much.

‘Watch Duty’ app co-founder receives Unsung Hero Award for saving lives during SoCal fires

LINK 3:22 minutes

I thought I heard on a news report that the fires are still burning. How can that be, when we've had rain and snow? Well, I'm sure it helped with the fire suppression at any rate.

Now we've had rain and snow and mudslides (and threats of mudslides in certain areas). There has been a lot of talk about what burned and where those toxins may go because of the rain. There was already "boil water" notices.

I think it will be a while before things calm down.

Inside the SoCal Firestorms (12 Days Ago)

LINK 1:08:12

Where do you find your strength? How much knowledge do you seek?

May you learn

May you grow

May you know when you need a break or not

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

#goodenough

Changes Came, More Will Arrive as Well?

 

Egret on the bridge, never seen that before

Speaking your TRUTH when you're ANGRY at the WORLD

LINK 17:47 minutes

She knew the rains were supposed to come. The needed, wanted, life-giving rains...

She knew the words of caution...that fire scorched lands can't hold the rains...that fire scorched lands let the rains wash right over them...let the bare earth flow along with them.

She knew many things and did not know many more.

Later, after dark...the rains fell on her home. The plink, plink, plink of drops on the metal parking structure cover...the plonk, plonk of drops on the gas meters...the rushing gush of more and more - flipped on and off like a light switch.

She ponders where it rains hard and what the land receives.

Late in the evening, it occurs to her that there are no thresholds at the bridge. She can move from place to place through the open spaces. There are no doors to cross through...no crossroads to consider...just movement and space. Movement and Space.

She knows this is a space where she can stand with the Crows...or Hawks...songbirds, Egrets.

She knows this is a space she can stand with the clouds and the wind, the lizards and the scent of dying fires on the breeze.

Where do you find your sense of home? Your sense of strength? Your sense of peace? 

May you keep your heart open

May you embrace your season

May you spend time in places that feed you

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

Carry On Now, Okay?

 Sprinkled...

This evening was a good time to 'carry on'. After a long day of just stuff...I pulled together the trim pieces for the last 3 Christmas Stockings.

These are not made for a specific person or family. They are just the last 3 unclaimed stocking bodies I have. I have the one for soon-to-be April baby, which is almost completed. I have one set aside for the family of the last 2024 stocking recipient. They are considering a third child, so I've saved one for them.

Then that is it. I'll be closing the chapter on Christmas Stockings, which began in 1995. Isn't that wild...1995!

Anyway, as far as these 3 are concerned, while it is hard to tell in the photos...they are not exactly the same - quite similar (two of them)...but not the same. Different interior fabrics, different buttons, different "snowflake" placement... 

These 3 will just hold some festive bling, along with very good wishes for whoever gets them.

How can you revamp an old idea? What does it mean to you when you do that? Do you think it could open things up in new creative ways?

May you throw caution to the wind at times

May you do things different, even after a very long time of routine

May you pay attention during the process

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

Quick Post

 

🔥     🔥      

Just a quick post. What a difference a day makes! Same vantage point as yesterday during the Hughes Fire. There is some brown haze, but is actually pretty clear considering.

We're good. 

Air quality isn't great, according to me. But, it could be so much worse. I can't even smell the fires.

There have been two more smaller fires since last night, and both seem to have "forward progress stopped" - which is something I always scan Watch Duty for or listen for in video reports. There were a lot of helicopters flying over last night. 

It's still windy. The crows are playing. This always makes me pause and smile.

What works for you when you need to pause and regroup?

May you nap if you want to or need to

May you embrace playfulness, yours and others

May you communicate with those in your circle

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

You Never Know

 I was going to just post this...beautiful, talented, inspirational Emma Kok. I thought I'd just posted this one song in the past, but I couldn't find it. We have listened to her so many times, I can't count. I've gone down the rabbit hole and tried to learn/understand her physical condition and the problems it could cause. How she can sing like an angel with a paralyzed stomach. I've even watch those crazy ridiculous videos where voice coaches analyze singers. I learned so much about singing as a skill. I listened again last night to feel inspired once again. We are obviously impressed...every.single.time. 

Enjoy!

15 Year Old Emma Kok Sings Voilà – André Rieu, Maastricht 2023 (official video)

LINK 7:25 minutes

In other news...a new fire today, closer to home. WE ARE FINE.

The photos can't really capture the distance...but, the fire is across this whole valley. It's a big valley. I'm not super concerned that it will get to us, it would have to burn up a lot of "city" to do that. With that said, I have stuff still 'partially ready' and am watching the local news live feed and Watch Duty is always open these days. 

Out back, after deciding that we would not go walk or grocery shopping...I helped our building's maintenance manager learn about Watch Duty, getting the app up and going on his phone. Such a small - but huge thing to share...but something I can do (even having no idea how to work a smart phone). His relief to have this resource was palpable. 

Take care everyone.

There's a fire glow out of our sliding door...that strange orange of fire season.

Anyway, the "Hughes Fire" - started at 10:42am and immediately went from 50 to 500 acres. Now, at 12:59pm it is at 3407 acres (but the news just said 5000 acres!). Our phones have been going off like mad again.

I'm cutting back, for now on links here...but you can check Watch Duty or Cal Fire...watch the live feeds on KTLA Channel 5 or right now I have on CBS - KCAL. There are lots of places for updates, but as of this post...WE ARE FINE.

I'll update here. as needed/able.

I really wanted this post to be just Emma Kok, but life barged in. Isn't that how it happens though? Just when you least expect Something...something happens. We fall, we rise, we are burdened, we are lifted up.

*last note: I reposted "Scaling Back", which had been in draft form. I'll leave it at that for now.

How do you handle the expected surprise shifts in life? What do you do to stay centered?

May you hold onto strength when needed 

May you dig up new strength resources when you run low

May you may you share your strength with others

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

MOVING FORWARD

 

Very slowly, she moves forward with her plan

A plan that feels at once both mundane and confounding

It feels like a questionable endeavor due to the sheer number of frayed areas

But she starts and it soon becomes a scar

A scar stitched tight to prevent it from growing bigger

A scar that will then be hidden beneath colorful cloth

And although it feels a bit pointless,

It gives her something to busy her mind and hands

It provides a way to hide the scars, so she can move forward

WORDLE LIFE

1/18/25

She started a list of needed items in case of a QUAKE.  But, she had to wonder why he often FOILS her plans to get something done by acting so SILLY. Oh well, she'd finish by herself later.

1/17/25

On the last road trip, they stopped at their favorite store to pick up some new gems, crystals and ROCKS. This STORE not only had a great collection, thoughtfully gathered and displayed, but each area of the store also had artfully presented PROSE, which related to the properties of the beautiful stones exquisitely displayed. 

1/16/25

From the CRACK of dawn in the California PINEY woods to the edge of NIGHT , they worked to sweep the forest floor. The FLINT firestarters in their pockets remained hard and cold to the touch. It was a thankless job to stay on the good side of their much hated master.

1/15/25

She had too much to DRINK at the year end work party. It got to a point where her coworker  SNUCK her out a back door, so she wouldn't make a fool of herself or even worse, get fired. When she got her back to her parent's house, the coworker had to KNOCK lightly on the door so only her drunk coworker's brother would hear and let them in. She had a real KNACK for saving the bacon of her coworkers.

1/12/25

He was HANDY ABOUT the house. He really could do anything. In fact he did a TOTAL makeover of the kitchen just last week.

1/11/25

It was the RIGHT thing to do. The poor fish's GILLS were working overtime, so the tank must be cleaned. From the other room they hear the television, Seinfled is playing and Elaine announces "Maybe the DINGO ate your baby". Now they are laughing as this is one of their favorite lines. It never gets old. The lightened mood makes this DINGY job easier to get through.

1/10/25

The FIRES insisted they head north out of town. He grabbed the favorite battered deck of cards, so they could play a game of RUMMY and a GRAND collection of light reading. They had a great TRACK record of relaxing well together. Five days later and it came time to CRAWL home again in the traffic of all of the evacuees. 

1/9/25

She watches him with fondness. He loves a good QUOTE and READS anything with an eye out for something quotable.  He's ARMED with a small pad of paper to record each one. She silently makes a WAGER with herself about how many he will jot down. But, he pays her no mind, for he is busy with words, pencil & paper and a delicious WAFER with his tea.

1/8/25

She informed him that it was time to PURGE the samples in the laboratory. Her RASPY voice was inviting to listen to and he was happy to have her TRAIN him with such detail. But, he was so mesmerized by her that he was completely taken aback when her full WRATH was directed at him. How was he to know that the BRACT was to be saved? As much as he did not want to, he decided that he would DRAFT his resignation letter and find a job with someone less volatile.

1/6/25

They loved living out west, off grid. Of course there was SNAKE season, which was a bit of a challenge. Their 4 dogs made a SPORT out of teasing them constantly. And then, there was me and my husband altering the snakes with our SPURS. However, in the evening, sitting on the porch with a  SPRIG of mint in our tea, watching the sunset, made it all worth it.

She flits from spot to spot

In some moments choosing the easier tasks

So far, always pushing off the most challenging areas

She considers making the smallest scars colorful and letting them show

Decisions can come slowly over time

She knows his acceptance and patience and is grateful

She finds herself wondering how much ruin

makes something irretrievable?

How much salvation can actually happen

How much is your time worth? How do you wish to spend that time?

May you be grateful for what you can do

May you be grateful for differing sensitivities 

May you be grateful for the tasks at hand

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

Goodnight Moon ~ Hello Sun

 

Leaving offerings, this time bracelets, at the bridge.

When an email is a gift...

My book friend sent an alert that in 2025, Goodnight Moon would be making its debut on a USPS Stamp. How wonderful!

At the bottom of this notice, one is directed to the post below...I got lost for a good long while. 

Which lead me to the Substack "Looking At Picture Books" where I read along, studying the words and illustrations...and went on to read every comment. So fascinating.

The sun was absolutely not this big! However, I love that it photographed this way.

You can kind of see the air quality in this pic. Not the best day, but still okay. I walked as far the "fence change" as we call it...where the wooden split rail shifts into white fabricated fencing.

My Goodnight Moon explorations led me to this. I thought of Liz.

Goodnight Moon | Rabbit hOle Team Rises to the Challenge of the Great Green Room

LINK 14:27 minutes

Offerings...a beaded bracelet...one of the rocks someone placed on a fence post (there were a few) and hard to see - fluffy bird feathers trapped in the rough wood. This last one really caught my attention, as I've never seen feathers here in the past. So, then my mind goes to the Why? Why are there small feathery fluff feathers stuck in two of the posts? Was it a natural occurrence? Did an animal or bird of prey play a part in this happening? Mmm...?

The constant green, moisture and trickle of the river stands in deep contrast to the dryness in the air, the browned plant life and the devastation from the fires. The air is the quality of brown haze that I tried to capture in my latest weaving. I love when the shots hold the shadows of the bridge. 

This is that weaving, the one I started and basically wove mostly in one night. "Pacific Pallisades" or "Sea, Fire, Sky" or?? The sea sits quietly, beautifully along the bottom...sea, sand, growth ~ calling us to remember. Earth and growth then meets the rage of the flames. A reservoir waits. I think the fire reads as fire here. I wanted to weave it as layers, not shapes or exact representations. So the fire and the scorched earth is added in as layers of reddish, yellow and brown/red. The sky holds haze and smoke and blue shining through...because the blue skies will always return. I used the found, rusty nail to hang it from. It the end, I like it quite well added on after the weaving was done. I awoke this morning with the idea to finger crochet the hanging string. I like how it thickened up the string to hang it from. A single strand, plain was to thin. This one small Ah-Ha made a difference, to me.

All of the Goodnight Moon explorations reminded me of the small blanket I'd made years ago and my own copy, which I thought was the one gifted to me by my mom when I was 13. I went looking. Instead, what I found was this copy is from almost 45 years ago when the two young women I'd babysat for years (when I was 9-14 years old), threw me a baby shower and gave me this book. Sweet. I also found the rest of the Goodnight Moon fabrics.

What favorite memories do you want to keep and savor?

May you relish a deep dive now and then 

May you keep your passions alive

May you weave a good life story

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

Be Here Now

 

George Harrison - Be Here Now (2024 Mix) [Official Video]

LINK 4:08 minutes

What are your steps for these days? Where are you? 

May you be here now

May you be here now

May you be here now

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough

Back to the Peak

 UPDATE: We are fine. My sister is home, still iffy at her place...but home. sigh.

Back out today...our walk before grocery shopping...the path along the the wash - a part of the 'river system'. 

It was a walk of gratitude for a beautiful day and NO WIND! It was warm, birds were singing, the sky - bright and clear. I just couldn't get enough of it.

I used to have frustrations with how the camera couldn't quite capture the correct colors or distance...how there are now floating things - smudges on the camera lens. I no longer care. I am not a photographer, in the professional sense of the word. I can't capture wide-angle shots or close-ups of the birds I love. But, I can be reminded of these moments, which helps me hold them a while longer. 

Today I liked how the camera makes the path seem extra long and things far, far away. How the camera warps reality for a moment...making me think and appreciate even more.

Have you tired of this overpass bridge view yet? Yah, me neither. Today I look at the shadows of the dense shrubs, making a path of their own. I remember how we met two lovely, friendly, happy dogs - Winnie and Penny running along with their person. Part way up in those shrubs is a concrete drainage path. The dogs raced up there and gleefully ran parallel to the man below. I shared with J. what I'd learned on The Lookout you tube channel about building on hillsides and providing those breaks in the plant life, which allows for maintenance and fire breaks. These are pretty small ones and probably work more for water efficiency  and erosion control. But, just the fact that I'd learned this during this time of fire made me happy. Information is power, right?!

I was so thankful to be OUT, to not feel threatened by fire, as I have the past week. It was beyond beautiful. sigh.

I had started this newest weaving...and then I could not stop! I stayed up late, surrounded by yarns and my loom...scissors and needle...I just wove and wove. I got lost in the process. In fact I got so lost that I wove right past adding the rusty nail in to hang it from! I was in the process of considering if I wanted it woven in, as I'd done the stick the last time or if I wanted on the top edge and how I would accomplish that. The next thing I knew...I was close to done! So, now it WILL go on the top edge and I am still not sure how. There is something so glorious in this mistake, in this kind of total immersion. I hadn't felt creative in days, so I truly, deeply welcomed this madness. 

We paused for long moments discussing tree types and which are more fire prone (palms and pines as you see here)...we stared and shifted position and considered what kind of bird this was...sitting all fluffed up. Its shape making us unsure. As it flew off we could see, Scrub Jay.

I wonder how long it will be before I don't look at everything through the eyes of fire? J. was gifted and read this book Fire Weather: On the Front Lines of a Burning World months back and has been talking about it ever since. He's even got me noticing the WUI, especially since these recent fires. So, when I look at the views, I notice even more how the homes meet the mountain...and I wonder what will become of us and the land...and us with the land together.

I'm still unsure if I like the Oak Stick woven in or not. I guess I'll learn more when I add the Rusty Nail to the new weaving. Perhaps it will give me a better sense. I brought home a new stick that presented itself to me. Last night while weaving, a word came to me. I'd been thinking about the Word Cloth recently...but this new word disappeared from memory as soon as it arrived. As I sat with the cloth today, the possibility of a new word came to me. I considered a placement for it and it fit in every open space there is. Now, that's a word worth keeping! More on that soon.

We paused to notice the tiny daisy (?) flowers and posed for another shadow photo. He claims I take so many photos, all the same...I claim they are not the same because they capture each different moment in time. Today's photo tells the story of us, with a Fairy Circle of Daisies in our hearts. 💕

We came home to a gift in the mail...a thoughtful and delicious gift. Thanks! A part of that gift is a tiny handmade blown glass bluebird and birdhouse. A MUG SHOT was born! I had been looking at the mug recently and thinking: I wonder what will come to the Mug next? Will I have another creative idea to photograph? After all, the first 4 were such givens, but also such gifts. And then I looked at the tiny bluebird...the Bluebird of Happiness, right? And I thought, no matter what if your own little home doesn't hold happiness - your cup will truly be empty, even if it is materially full. Think about that one, eh?

On ECM's video toady, she talked about how stressed and grief filled folks have been and how that has contributed to short fuses (tempers) and so on. That hit home, so I made an effort to focus on love in all of my interactions today (well most of them, that one checker at the grocery store is really a piece of work...voice trails off, reins pulled in...).

How do you regroup? How do you take care of yourself in challenging times? 

May you stand together

May you make good magic

May you look away momentarily, if needed

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025 

#goodenough