Graciela’s Blog

I had to laugh when I learned there is an asteroid in our general vicinity of the universe that is due to pass by on November 2nd.  Yes, an asteroid. It has a name – 2018VP1. It’s not predicted to do any damage to our planet. It will likely fly right by us. That’s a...

I checked the weather forecast like I do pretty much everyday. I’m not sure why. It’s late August and we’ve been dealing with a horrible heat wave. Yes, we’re used to heat in central Texas which means if I’m talking about it, it’s that Hades kind of torment, day after...

It takes an extremely long time for trees to turn to rocks. We call them petrified wood once they’ve completed the process. In these days of covid-19, I usually feel like I’m waiting for trees to turn to rocks when I’m trying to get service from a company or an...

Jupiter danced across the sky above the black canopies of oaks, sending light out into the universe, bright and powerful and demanding. Saturn, fainter and a bit subdued followed a little lower but just as fast as if chasing its neighbor. Each danced its role. Danced...

Some Baby Boomers may have memories of mechanical washing machines that had a big metal tub sitting on metal legs. Women filled them with water and detergent and dirty clothes. They scrubbed the clothes until they were clean and drained the tub and refilled it with...

Shakti crushed my heart. Broke my soul open like a pomegranate To pull the luscious kernels out one by one. Shakti Scattered my everything Across the floor and out the door into the dirt So I would have to bend, to crawl on my knees To pick it all up again. And it was...

Here we are at Juneteenth weekend and even white people are celebrating Juneteenth this year. Hopefully, it is the beginning of a new American holiday. Here in 2020, Juneteenth weekend is quite full as it shares space with Solstice and the official start of summer as...

Everyone seems to be celebrating Juneteenth. One more change in America. A good change. In fact, we should have all been celebrating the end of slavery for the past 155 years. Juneteenth isn’t just for Black people anymore. White friends want to celebrate the holiday....

With covid-19 dominating the news, I struggle to keep from being obsessed with it. I think about the world I want when this crisis passes. In the middle of figuring it out, Ric comes to mind. Ric was a handsome, Mexican-American friend I made in the 80’s. Ric loved...

As best I can tell we’re still spinning around the sun and the moon is still spinning around Earth. I don’t want to take those things for granted. Out here in the backyard with cool air caressing my arms and legs the world feels safe and comforting. The sun hasn’t...