1) Spring at last. In New England it’s revelatory to the point of ravishment. The dull, grey, dreariness has been replaced by little flowers and big flowering trees, very un-Yankee in their bright display. A new shade of green, young and fresh and tender, blushes the landscape. It makes the winter seem worth the wait. At least for the month of May.

2) If you tried signing onto my website, you may have found yourself, as I did today, unable to connect. I fear my hosting company went out of business, without letting me know. Ouch. I will try to correct this as quickly as possible.

3) For the next six weeks, I have the privilege and challenge of writing an op-ed column for the Boston Globe. These pieces will appear on Mondays starting on May 12. I used to write weekly essays so it’s a familiar format. I’m a bit rusty on the weekly deadline though and am reminded of the old panic of finishing one piece only to realize I don’t know what I’m doing next.

4) Speaking of next week, I’m going to the Jerusalem Writers Festival. It’s a lovely honor and one of the high points for me will be standing in the presence of Nadine Gordimer, a South African writer of enormous talent and courage. I may try to post from there, but don’t know about my connectivity. I’ll certainly try to post something about the trip after the fact.

Happy Spring