So I was able to go out over the weekend and rake up all the things I had raked before that the spring winds had blown wily nilly over the garden again... now my neat piles are covered with 4 inches of spring snow - so beautiful, so not what I expected today. And there you have it. It's never what I expect. Each day seems to unfold, unfurl and sometimes completely unravel in ways I never could have planned.

We received an email last week from a HERO. Unsolicited and completely out of the clear blue. It was from Noel Paul Stookey, who identified himself as "the tall middle one in Peter, Paul & Mary" ... you can bet that we knew that already. For someone like me who started listening to folk music because of them, who hung on every word of their records in the '60's it was a mind blowing experience to see his name there, every so mildly in our inbox. It never gets old, it never ceases to amaze me that when someone's creative voice resonates with me in a deep way, as Noel Paul Stookey's did 45 years ago, we have made a connection, whether its ever tangibly known or not. These threads of creative expression that connect us are golden. They are powerful and if we choose wisely, respectfully and with kindness, we can help build a truly magnificent community of peace. Thanks for reading and thanks for your creative voice. Use it wisely, use it well and use it loud for peace here at home, and all the world over.