The Work of the Morning
An early Sunday morning of tending the retreat grounds in Topanga Canyon. What began with a broken sprinkler in the cactus beds turned into a full morning of land stewardship—repairing a shade sail overlooking the valley, clearing weeds around the cabins, and digging cactus pups to prepare a new fire protection line.
Clearing the Hillside, Clearing the Mind
Brush clearance week pushed me harder than any physical work I’ve done in years. With a crew of four, we carved a fire moat along the western ridge of the property, uncovered an old protective cactus line, and cleared steep hillsides of chaparral. After losing my own home to a fire last year, this work carried a different kind of weight. The result is simple: a safer property and a quiet sense of relief.