Sheltering in place doesn’t protect you from the fallout. It is vanity. We’re told to come out of that place and carry on as if we haven’t been in there at all. The landscape has changed. The landscape is the surface of the moon different. Cold, foreign, unworkable without heavy…

Two humans look into each other’s eyes and know this conversation should have happened before they met the bird. “He’s awesome. I can’t get him off me.” Cali grinned cradling a young red parrot who’s spread his wings hug wide while using his talons to latch onto the front of…

I ground in beauty and magic. — The world rattles bones and stone atop tremors of rage. Sporadic moments between cars yielding angry voices and gestures. Banners, bumper stickers, flags, and slogans clawing for dominance with declarations of fealty to ghosts and goblins of perceived superiority. Countries fill with quiet voices turning to screams of bewilderment and…

A rasping gasp and splash. The canal waters are alive with two young dolphin playing keep away with a mullet. The dead fish rides the nose of one dolphin committed to the game of keep away. Dolphin tails slap the surface of the incoming tide waters. White dolphin bellies run…

“No. I can’t do that, I don’t have a license. You’ll have to hire someone who can spray RoundUp and kill all the grass first.” I was soft pedaling my bicycle around my neighbor’s corner property and overheard her fence contractor. “But I can come in and remove all the…

Living with Felix, the African grey. — “Stop.” Felix tosses my toothbrush holder with toothbrush into the sink. It doesn’t crash, it bounces. I have a blue rubber toothbrush holder that is a shark head with an mouth open. Like the shark in the “Jaws” movie poster. I bought because it’s a rubber shark head with a…

And non of the children cared. — A tractor tire laying flat on leveled turf under a young maple tree. The tree is older than me, so it’s enormous. Being seven most everything is enormous. My sisters are younger and smaller. Kimmy the littlest, stands next to Cindy the middlest, watching dad fill the tractor tire with…

“Would you like me to take your picture together?” A voice from behind as I square up to take Cali’s photo with our bikes. A Sunday ride around Wheedon Island. The humidity is Floridian thick. The water warmer than normal, but clear, tinted greens with sandy browns. Calm. People fishing…

Chihuahua, Yorkie, golden retriever, black lab, chocolate lab, bichon frise, standard poodle, great schnauzer, min pin, doberman, rottie, pittie, English bulldog, American bulldog, Australian and German Shepherds, mutts, mixes, coonhound, bluetick, treeing, and plott hounds. These are the types of manipulators I have met personally, spent time with, shared a…