A Postcard from the Pond: Peonies

June 21, 2026: Maybe That's Their Way

Mary Oliver once asked whether the sunflowers blazing in summer heat might already know something about prayer that we're still trying to figure out. She had a name for the alternative — walking through the world in full self-attendance — and she said she couldn't really call it being alive. This week, before our summer pause, we're sitting with her question and the one the pond has been asking all along.

June 14, 2026: Longest Light

Something has been digging at the pond's edge in the night. This is the week of the longest light — and the most important thing happening at the pond is happening in the dark. This week's reflection is about turtles, fear, and trusting work we never get to watch.

June 7, 2026: They Remembered

Last year, we rebuilt the pond's edge. The bluegill used to nest there. I worried we had closed that bottom to them for good. This week I found out we had not. A reflection on the ground that holds us, even when we can't see it.

May 31, 2026: The Secret

Behind the office, the serviceberry trees are ripening. What happens next is one of the most extraordinary things we witness all year. I shouldn't tell you. But I must.

May 24, 2026: A Rescue

A double-crested cormorant crash-landed in the Pachysandra outside St. John's Church this week. A rector, a Boy Scout, barbecue gloves, and lab goggles were not enough. This is a Pentecost story about the one who comes alongside — and what it looks like when help actually arrives.