Springtime Rituals

Our part of Northern California received heavy rain this winter. While lots of rain is a blessing to this often-parched part of the country, it resulted in quite a few gloomy days after the initial, exuberant rain celebrations had worn off. Now it’s officially spring here in the Northern Hemisphere – we made it! ApartContinue reading “Springtime Rituals”

Translating Poetry

Translating poetry is a special job: the poet, if alive, entrusts the translator to capture the soul of a poem so that speakers of a completely different language might fully understand the poet’s message; the translator is responsible for making the right decisions along the way, ensuring that this transfer of ideas happens smoothly. WhetherContinue reading “Translating Poetry”

Rosalía

One of the big winners this year at the Latin Grammys was Rosalía Vila Tobella, a 25-year-old Spanish singer-songwriter from Catalonia, Spain. Wait – you ask. A flamenco singer….from Catalonia?? Yes, A flamenco singer from Catalonia who is bringing her own style of “nuevo flamenco” mixed with hip-hop and pop to the forefront. Many sayContinue reading “Rosalía”

Living on Borrowed Words

If someone told you to no longer use the word “burrito” to describe beans, rice, lettuce and cheese wrapped up in a tortilla, what would you do? It is commonly thought that the word “burrito” comes from the fact that, like a little donkey that can carry many items on its back, a burrito carriesContinue reading “Living on Borrowed Words”

Renacimiento/Rebirth: Strengthening Weaving Traditions in Guatemala

I recently translated a great loan for Kiva.org in which a Guatemalan woman was seeking a loan to purchase traditional huipiles (tunics), fajas (wraps), and cortes (skirts) to sell. The very next morning while listening to the radio I learned about a revival and strengthening of weaving traditions in Guatemala among a group of youngContinue reading “Renacimiento/Rebirth: Strengthening Weaving Traditions in Guatemala”

Una noche flamenca

This weekend we had the pleasure of seeing David Jenkins (“El Oso”) play flamenco guitar at 215 Main in Point Arena. Not only was it a treat to have a “big” night out here in our new rural setting, but to hear David’s playing was very special. David lived in Spain and studied flamenco guitarContinue reading “Una noche flamenca”