Tag Archives: developmental skills

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 4

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Education, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 25, 2026- Hana practiced walking around the house, with me holding her hands. We made it through the dining room, kitchen and living room,before her father came home and her attention was shifted. She has her stopping places, of course: The dining room table, the dish washer, the door to the laundry room, her kitchen high chair (where she sits and watches us prepare food and clean up) and her two strollers, which are parked near the door to the back yard. We stopped at the sofas, one of which has her quilt and the other, a Winnie the Pooh plush toy. This will surely be a regular afternoon activity, until she is able to walk on her own.

A bit earlier, when she woke from her afternoon nap, I took her to the playpen. She said “No no”, which somehow cued me that it was time to prepare her mid-afternoon feeding. So, I sat her in the kitchen high chair, and started warming the bottle, which gave her the satisfaction of being understood. After the feeding, she was perfectly glad to spend more time in the pen.

HANA’S NOTE- I ate almost everything by myself today. It is getting easier. even using the spoon.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Utah- The Beehive State stands prominently in two ways. First, the per-eminence of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints, colloquially called “the Mormons” and second, the number and variety of its natural treasures.

The turf- Utah’s landscape is a fascinating interplay of desert and mountain, with lush valleys in between the two. In the west are found Zion and Kolob canyons, comprising Zion National Park; Bryce Canyon National Park; the mountainous Cedar Breaks; and furhter north, the low-lying Bonneville Salt Flats.

In the center of the state are its urban centers: Salt lake City, Provo-Orem, and Ogden, the first two built near lakes. Great Salt Lake is the signature symbol of Utah, yet is under extreme duress, from development and diversion of its water. Utah Lake is also increasingly surrounded by urban growth.

Eastern Utah is dominated by the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains, in the north; Canyonlands, Arches National Monument, Capitol Reef, Natural Bridges and the Henry Mountains cover the southeast. The area around Price is also filled with rugged canyons.

Utah is drained by the Colorado and Green Rivers, and their tributaries, including the Duchesne, San Juan and Virgin Rivers.

First Nations- Utah is the ancestral home of the Ute, Paiute, Goshute, Shoshone and Dineh (Navajo) peoples. Mormon pioneers alternately traded peacefully with the Native peoples and fought with them over land and resources. Some Utes enslaved members of surrounding tribes, selling them to the Spanish, during the time of the area being part of New Spain. (The Mormons sometimes purchased the slaves, then set them free, engaged them as fairly well-treated house servants, or adopted them into their families. Utah was never a part of the Confederacy, and in fact sent men to serve in the Union Army.) Ute and Dineh lands in southeast Utah are productive of oil and natural gas, for which the tribal members receive some royalties.

Where I feel most at home: Kanab, Salida, East Side of Salt Lake City, Price, Arches National Park, Natural Bridges, Mexican Hat, Aneth.

Where I feel most at peace: Natural Bridges

NEXT: Arizona

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The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 3

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Posted by on in children, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 24, 2026- When Hana is annoyed at something, she utters a mild groan. A few times today, especially as her mother was getting ready to leave for work and again, when it took a bit longer to get the safety straps and tray attached to the high chair, her guttural expression took flight.

She has been feeding herself quite well, of late. Of course, the results are what one would expect of an infant or toddler, but she does get most of the food into herself, sometimes after a few tries. She is getting better at taking the spoon and putting food into her mouth, though it may take two tries to empty the spoon. I attribute that to her not having a full set of teeth.

Hana also was more willing to walk with me holding her hands, and walking backwards, in front of her. For the first time, today she walked a bit, inside the playpen, with my holding her by one hand and being at her side. I hope to get her to do more of both, over the next several days.

HANA’S NOTE– I was stuck on playing with the price tag on my Mexican doll. Papa and Daddy took it, and said it was plastic and they didn’t want me to eat it. I was sad to lose that tag, but a cloth book made me feel better.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Colorado- The Rocky Mountain State has been also like home to me, over the years, in many respects. One of my sisters-in-law lived in the Denver area for several years, and our niece still lives there.I have friends in several parts of the state, as well.

The turf- Mountains make up about 2/5 of the state’s terrain; the Rockies proper taking up the middle third and the San Juan Range forming something of a boot, in the southwest corner. High Desert takes up most of the western third, save the area of the San Juans. High Plains take up the eastern third. Still and all, Colorado is the only state where I have seen snow in each of the twelve months of the year. The state is well-drained: The Colorado River, Rio Grande, Animas, San Juan, Arkansas, North and South Platte and Little Snake Rivers all either begin here or flow swiftly through.

First Nations- Colorado is the ancestral home of Dineh (Navajo), Nuutsiu (Ute), Yapudttka, Pahdteeanooch, Kahpota, Mobach, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Jicarilla Apache,Yamparika and Numunuu(Comanche). Puebloan communities left their ruins at Mesa Verde and Chimney Rock, both now tended by the National Park Service. In the annals of relations between Native Americans and the U.S. Army, Sand Creek remains hallowed ground. On November 29, 1864, Colonel John Chivington led a force of 675 Cavalrymen on a slaughter of 150 Arapaho and Cheyenne villagers, 2/3 of whom were women and children. I visited Sand Creek, a few years ago, and could only stand in solemnity. There is no honour in one-sided slaughter, despite what Chivington claimed, to his dying day.

Where I feel most at home: Cortez, Walsenburg, Del Norte, Black Forest, Manitou Springs, Boulder, Glenwood Springs.

Where I feel most at peace: The Baha’i camp at Black Forest

NEXT- Utah

The Hana Chronicles: Month 9, Day 1

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Posted by on in children, Community, Education, Entertainment, Family, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

September 22, 2026- Hana got a thumbs-up from her pediatrician today, at her 9-month visit. Doc even referred to Hana as “The Boss”, for her outspoken babbling, that had a tome of authority. Most importantly, the little girl is hitting all the markers, which I have described over the past few days. She even took three steps without support, earlier today.

Hana is also showing a sense of humour about herself. When her father mimicked a few sounds she was making, she looked at him and burst into laughter. She does get cranky when she’s tired, but otherwise, my granddaughter is in some ways a mirror of my mother, and she can give it back, albeit in the babbling of a nine-month old.

So, she enters the last quarter of her first year, as our hemisphere begins autumn. The next three months will bring four lateral incisors, a growing sense of individuality and the first meaningful steps.

HANA’S NOTE- I wore a dress to my doctor’s office. It made me look special, Mommy said.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Louisiana- The Pelican State is said to be floating on borrowed time. A friend from Slidell recently told me that the biggest mistake people have made there was not providing means for irrigation, as the levees, while protecting low-lying areas, were also drying out the soil in those areas.

Louisiana is Texas’s neighbour to the east. The Turf- Most of the state is of fairly low elevation, with the area around the mouths of the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers being below sea level. This has been borne out most vividly, and tragically, in extreme weather events like Hurricanes Camille, in 1969, Katrina and Rita, in 2005 and Laura, in 2020.

First Nations- Louisiana is the ancestral home of the Atakapa, Caddo, Chitimacha, Choctaw, Houma, Natchez and Tunica peoples. After European settlement, the Alabama, Biloxi, Coushatta and Ofo people were pushed into the area. Today, the Chitimacha, Coushatta, Houma and Tunica-Biloxi Nations, as well as Jena Band of the Choctaw Nation, have reservations in the state. The Choctaw were largely among the displaced who were forced to go northwest to Oklahoma, in the dead of winter, during Andrew Jackson’s forced relocation of the Five Civilized Tribes. The Jena Band were those who escaped into the piny woods and bayous. Poverty Point, Watson Brake and Campus Mounds are sites of burial mounds of the Caddo and even earlier peoples.

I have been to New Orleans, three times; once was specifically for Mardi Gras (2015). The other visits were briefer, due to transit needs. Baton Rouge and Alexandria were the sites of a longer visit, at the time of Hurricane Laura (2020). On that occasion, I was volunteering with the Red Cross, at a storm shelter. Lake Charles, Vidalia, Monroe and Shreveport are other communities in which I’ve stopped. Each of these would be worth a visit with Hana, especially the Mounds, the area around Lake Pontchartrain and the Garden District of New Orleans. I would also like to spend a few days in Lafayette, absorbing the Zydeco and Cajun sounds. Preservation Hall, in New Orleans would be a destination, as well.

Where I feel most at home: Alexandria, Lake Charles, the Garden District and French Quarter, south side of Baton Rouge, Vidalia.

Where I feel most at peace: Lake Pontchartrain

NEXT: New Mexico

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 31

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Education, Entertainment, Family, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 21, 2026- Hana does not hold back, when it is time to express her opinion. She was not happy about being left out of ice cream for dessert. (We have a rule that there will be no sugary foods until she’s at least a year old, and maybe not until her “two-year” molars come in.). She didn’t throw a tantrum, but she did voice her objection, along with three strong taps of her hand on the playpen fence. Then it was over, as we acknowledged her feelings, and she went back to playing.

This afternoon, when I set her down in the crib, for her second nap, she was sleeping happily for about forty minutes. Then the afternoon sun came shining brightly, even through the fairly thick shades, She got up and called for me, then slept on my shoulder, in the recliner, for another hour. The girl is not shy about expressing her needs, and I want to keep it that way.

Today is the last day of summer. It’s been a season of loss- my friends Annie Lovell, Carole Hitti and Eva Kahn left this world, much as Randy Smith and Betty Cooper Ritchey did in the spring. Another, very dear, friend is deathly ill. Suffering and pain are widespread, both due to mismanagement and to climatic cycles.

Still and all, it has been a good summer. Hana has begun standing up, both with and without support. She feeds herself, at least 60% of each meal and has “told’ us that she wants the hot food before the hand-held cold items. She likes the little standing shower device that lets her parents bathe her, while she experiences something very close to a ‘grown-up” shower. Toilet training is right around the corner-and it is something she seems to want.

HANA’S NOTE- I just want a spoonful of ice cream-or maybe three or four.

EXPANDING CIRCLES– Arkansas- It would be very sweet to visit the Crater of Diamonds State Park, near Murfreesboro, with my family, and devote 2-3 hours to digging and sifting. That is just one of the reasons to stop in Arkansas, which borders Texas on the northeast.

The turf- Arkansas is largely rolling hills and small mountains, in its western two thirds, and flat riparian plain, “the Delta”, in its eastern third. The Natural State is drained by the Mississippi, into which flow the White, the Ouachita and of course, the Arkansas River.

First Nations- Arkansas is the ancestral home of the Caddo, Chickasaw, Osage, Quapaw and Tunica peoples. The Nations, as entities, have moved to Oklahoma and Louisiana, but Arkansas is still their hearts’ home. Ceremonial mounds abounded in the state, with Toltec Mounds State Park being the largest preserved collection of mounds in the area.

I have visited the State Capitol and the Clinton Presidential Library, during visits to Little Rock, in the 2010s. The western Arkansas “twin cities” of Fort Smith and Van Buren are worth a day or two, especially the riverside Fort Smith National Historic Site. A favourite of my son and daughter-in-law is Hot Springs, for obvious reasons. The Ouachita and Boston Mountains extend into Arkansas, from Oklahoma and the Ozarks dominate the northern region. There is a lot to be said for stopovers in the Natural State.

Where I feel most at home: De Queen, downtown Van Buren, Little Rock Fitness Park

Where I feel most at peace: The banks of the Arkansas, at Fort Smith National Historical Park

NEXT- Louisiana

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 29

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 19,2026, Bruceville,TX- Hana had a fairly quiet day with her Mom and Dad, while Papa was down here, building more connections with Baha’is from other parts of Texas, as well as Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. There are dozens of children at this camp, more than I’ve seen at any such gathering since three years ago, in Colorado Springs. Texas is a far younger state than many seem to think-and with youth, there are changes in community thinking. The energy I sense in my granddaughter is also evident in those not too much older than she.

As I write this, a dance party, similar to those in which I have taken part in the past, is joyfully playing out in front of me. Hana already likes to bounce on her feet, while singing a tune that reflects her inner joy. I will most certainly encourage both. The embracing of life, while a certain portion of our population embraces artifice and calls it progress, is a clear and present choice.

HANA’S NOTE- Mommy and Daddy are making my day fun. I wonder where Papa is.

EXPANDING CIRCLES– Northwest Texas The Panhandle and Llano Estacado are both oil and gas country, and the hub of the Texas cattle industry. The region is drained by the Pecos, Colorado (not to be confused with the longer river, further west), Red and Canadian Rivers. The Permian Basin,at Northwest’s lower end, also is a treasure trove of mega fauna fossils, both dinosaurian and mammalian. The Turf- Much of the lower half of Northwest, from Odessa to Abilene and west to Lubbock, is flat, with cotton farms taking up the area close to the New Mexico state line.

The northern half, the Panhandle, is cattle country, and is more rugged. Canyons, such as Palo Duro-the nation’s second largest and Caprock, a bit further south, hold their own when it comes to scenic beauty and challenging hiking. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument showcases an area that was nearly as important to the indigenous peoples of the West and Great Plains as Pipestone was. The flint quarries were invaluable for the shaping of arrow and spear points, and thus were a key factor in hunting.

FIRST NATIONS- Northwest Texas is the ancestral home of the Comanche, (or Numunuu), Kiowa and LIpan Apache peoples.

I have a good friend in Amarillo and have enjoyed that city’s Old Route 66 area of shops and restaurants. I would like to show Hana the Quarterhorse Museum, also along Old Route 66. Between Fort Worth and Amarillo lie the canyons I mentioned above. I’ve had two exhilarating hikes in Palo Duro and would like to revisit there, as well as spend time in Caprock and at Alibates. The little towns between Wichita Falls and Amarillo also have their charms-like the Quanah Museum, in the town named for Comanche leader, Quanah Parker, and Valley Pecans, a large market and restaurant in Chillicothe, which has been one of my favourite pit stops, over the past five years. Northwest Texas has been a good friend, in my travels back and forth to Arizona.

Where I feel most at home: Amarillo Fun Zone, Chillicothe, Memphis, Palo Duro Canyon, Shamrock

Where I feel most at peace: Shalako, at Palo Duro Canyon.

NEXT- Beginning a look at Texas’s nearest neighbours, starting with Oklahoma.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 28

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

September 18, 2026-Bruceville, TX- Hana continued her singing and dancing, this morning, with a song that seemed to be about “Mama”. Yunhee was thrilled. My granddaughter is not all that happy with her time standing without assistance. We assure her that it’s all okay; she has lots of time to build her developmental skills. She has a very strong drive to succeed, not unlike her late grandmother.

I am at a Regional Baha’i School, in a lovely area of rolling hills, south of Waco. This is my first time outside of Dallaa Metroplex since January. A weekend away from the family is bittersweet, but there are so many families and wonderful people of my Faith here. I would leave earlier in the day, next time, though. Friday at 3:30 is already too late to miss rush hour!

HANA’S NOTE- Papa will be away for two days. That seems like a long time.

WIDENING CIRCLES– West Texas- This area is, among other things, one of the reasons people find a road trip across the Lone Star State daunting. A drive from El Paso to San Antonio takes the better part of a day-10 hours on I-10, to be exact. The Turf- Most of west Texas is in the Chihuahuan Desert. The southernmost of the Rocky Mountains meet the Chihuahuan, in El Paso. There are two subranges of the Rockies, east of El Paso: The Guadalupe Mountains and the Chisos Range, which form the turf of Big Bend National Park. The northern area of West Texas is part of Llano Estacado, the arid plains that extend into the Texas Panhandle and eastern New Mexico.

FIRST NATIONS- West Texas is the ancestral home of Jumano, Apache, Comanche and Ysleta Pueblo people.

I have visited friends in El Paso, a few times over the years. My favourite towns in the region are Marfa, where several people have reported UFO sightings and Alpine, the home of Sul Ross State University. I like the arts community in those towns. I would like to visit McDonald Observatory, near Fort Davis, as well as Big Bend and Guadalupe Mountain. Thus, I hold out hope that Hana will be an avid hiker, like her father.

Where I feel most at home: Marfa, Alpine, Ysleta, Kern Village

Where I feel most at peace: The UFO site at Marfa

NEXT: Northwest Texas

CAVEAT- As this is a public site, I realize that some of my content may not be to the liking of some readers. There are those who don’t like certain areas I write about. That will not change the content of my blog, as the travel posts are meant for my family, especially for my grandchild(ren), later on. I appreciate any commentary, but will draw the line at criticism of my family and my chosen lifestyle.

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 26

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Posted by on in children, Community, Education, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal goals, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

September 16, 2026- Hana kept at her self-imposed regimen today, working up to 25 seconds on her feet, without support. Being a week shy of the 9-month mark, I think she’s on a roll. She also kept singing and telling me stories, the plots of which are clear only to herself. Clear language will find its way out of her mouth, soon enough.. The top lateral incisors are about poked through, and the bottom ones will follow, a month or so from now.

I had a Zoom call this afternoon, with some friends in far off places. Hana woke from her second nap early, so rather than drag her, and the small high chair upstairs to my office space, I brought the laptop and accessories downstairs, letting her stay in the playpen. She interrupted me twice, first for a bottle feeding and second for a diaper change. Otherwise, my granddaughter contented herself with her toys and practicing standing on her own. It was during this time that she reached 25 seconds.

HANA’S NOTE– I wanted to show Papa that I could stand up when he is not close by, so I did.

EXPANDING CIRCLES: Central Texas – This is the Heart of Texas. San Antonio, Austin, Johnson Country and the Hills. The Turf- Rolling hills abound, from Waco down to College Station. then to Pleasanton, Kerrville and San Saba, in an oblong manner. The Balcones Escarpment and Edwards Plateau, better known, collectively, as Texas Hill Country, and the Brazos, Llano, Pedernales and San Antonio Rivers create a fair wilderness, in and around the two metropolises of Austin and “San Antone”.

First Nations- This is the ancestral home of the Tonkawa people, with Comanches or Numunuu, entering the area, in the mid-18th Century.

I would want Hana to see the Bat Bridge, in Austin, as well as the Music Section of the Bullock Museum and the State Capitol, of course. In San Antonio, my favourite areas are the Riverwalk and the outlying Missions. The Alamo, to me, is a place to visit with reverence-not because the men who died there were saints, but because they stood their ground against a far more powerful force. The Falls of the Pedernales, and Luckenbach, are also places in my heart. We have family friends in West, TX who would be fun to visit. I’d like to check out Waco,(Mammoth National Monument) Bastrop (historic downtown) and Fredericksburg (Enchanted Rock and Cross Mountain) , to boot.

Where I feel most at home: The Riverwalk, downtown Austin, West,TX, Luckenbach, Falls of the Pedernales

Where I feel most at peace: Luckenbach

NEXT: South Texas

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 25

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Education, Entertainment, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 15, 2026- The practice continued today, for two stretches of 2 hours each. Hana would call out “Hah!”, when she was ready to have me keep time while she stood without support. She worked very hard at it-with several sets of 5-6 seconds without falling and the longest stretch being 16 seconds. I am following her lead on this. She has the routine down. In between, she either scooted along the playpen fence or played with her toys, while I watched. After each session, she napped soundly.

Hana is also feeding herself, more and more. She did so at breakfast and dinner today. Of course, it’s a messy affair, but as I told her, I am glad to clean up after her, the way someone cleaned up for me, back in the day. I was mostly a Gerber baby. She has food prepared from scratch by her mother.

HANA’S NOTE- I am getting closer to walking. I made my own game for standing up.

EXPANDING CIRCLES- Houston and the Texas Bayous The turf: The area between Big Thicket and the Brazos River has become home to the fourth largest metropolitan area in the country. Houston and its suburbs weather fairly regular tropical storms and have seen some rising tides. The area is low-lying coastal plain, with several bayous in and around the city. Buffalo Bayou is the best known of these. The region fronts on the Gulf of Mexico, with Galveston Bay and Trinity Bay as the Gulf’s main inlets. The Sabine, Neches and Brazos Rivers are the Bayou Region’s major drainage.

First Nations- The Texas Bayou region is the ancestral home of the Atakapa people. The Bidai, Akokisa and Karankawa people also lived in the area. They were either killed off or intermarried with surrounding nations.

I have been in the Houston area four times. I haven’t familiarized myself with the city, as most of the time was spent meeting up with friends in small city parks or staying with other friends in the comunity of Spring, a northwestern suburb. If I did visit with Hana and her parents, I’d focus on the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, and take in the Museum and Theater Districts. Then Buffalo Bayou and Hermann Parks would also be high on my list.

Galveston and Beaumont are other cities which I’ve visited in the area. Galveston, which I visited with Hana’s grandmother, in 1984, is a seaside town, famous for its having been hit by a major hurricane (1900), and before that, as the place which inspired Juneteenth. It was here that General Gordon Granger, of the Union Army, informed enslaved people that they were now free, by Proclamation of President Lincoln, This was on June 19, 1865, two months after the War had ended and three years after the Proclamation had been issued. I would focus on both elements of Galveston’s history, if I returned here. My visits to Beaumont have been Red Cross-related. I would like to check out Old Town, and the area along the Neches, if we come by here. Sabine Lake and Pass, near Port Arthur, would also be of interest.

Where I feel most at home- Arts District Houston, East End, Buffalo Bayou, Galveston

Where I feel most at peace: Buffalo Bayou

NEXT: Central Texas

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 23

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Posted by on in children, collaborating, Community, Education, Entertainment, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Striving, Travel

September 13, 2026- Hana interacted with other children, this morning, as her grownups enjoyed a fine breakfast at Fairview Farmers, which is Collin County’s equivalent of Zeke’s Eatin’ Place, with a Swedish twist. She smiled and called out to a couple of girls, one of whom gave up her doll’s high chair, so that Hana could have a place to sit. Yes, to a three-year-old, Dolly needs to feel included. The little girl “explained”to her doll that “they could share a spot on the bench, so the baby could have seat”. Hana had a harder time, when a man about her Dad’s age smiled at her, from another table. At first, she was scared, but studied him carefully for a bit, and felt okay afterward.

She is continuously practicing taking steps, either by scooting or by taking my hands and following me, almost as if we are dancing. She is also able to stand up on her own, for slightly longer periods of time. Her “talking” also has more context and is accompanied by clear body language. She also understands when her parents correct her and does not seem at all sensitive at being admonished. The love we have given her has been a good foundation.

HANA’S NOTE– I made my way halfway around the play pen, just holding onto the fence. I will be walking soon.

EXPANDING CIRCLES- Texas is the second largest state, in area, and second largest, in population. So, besides being Hana’s home state, it has the pride of place in certain areas. “Texas-sized” has come to mean huge. There is a 64-ounce steak, with trimmings, on offer, in at least one establishment in Amarillo. I have been to all parts of Texas, so let’s take the regions, as they might unfold for my granddaughter.

North Texas- The Turf: Hana’s home region is watered by the Red and Trinity Rivers, with several large reservoirs that double as recreation sites. This is prairie, with some rolling hills and numerous small deciduous forests. Ranches and nut farms used to dominate the region, and still may be found, here and there-primarily in the western part of North Texas.

First Nation- North Texas is the ancestral home of the Wichita people.

Hana’s world, so far, is mostly Plano, with Frisco, Prospect, Carrollton, Grapevine, Coppell, Allen and Richardson rounding out the mix-mostly for medical appointments, and a few family meals. Her only visits to Dallas and Fort Worth have been for doctors’ appointments.

Fort Worth was my first large North Texas city (2012). Log Cabin Village was most interesting to me, as a history buff. I met the Winters family, at Log Cabin Village. Their younger daughter was fascinated by the preserved heritage of LCV. Perhaps my granddaughter will be, too. She is certainly interested in how things are put together. Interesting, too, were The Stockyards, from a cultural point of view. The Botanical Garden is likely the first place I would want to take Hana, as a place of natural beauty, and the most impactful spot in town.

Dallas was a focus, a couple of years later. Pioneer Park, with its cattle and cowboy sculptures, was the most interesting place I went, and is the first place I’d bring Hana, I would also take in Dallas’ Botanical Garden, and we’d want to go to the zoo. Dealy Plaza gave me pause, being the site of the first great tragedy of my youth: The assassination of John F. Kennedy. The iconic red sandstone Courthouse, aka “The Red Museum” is still a place I’d like to spend time.

Cleburne, south of DFW, and Sherman, north of us, are smaller cities that I found interesting for their local history. Sherman figures in the gradual unfolding of the Civil Rights of Black Americans. Denison, on the Oklahoma border, has the boyhood home of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. That was interesting to me. We’ll have to see whether Hana is a history buff.

Where I feel most at home: Plano, McKinney, Grapevine, Cleburne

Where I feel most at peace- The lounge at 1418 Coffee House

NEXT UP: East Texas

The Hana Chronicles: Month 8, Day 21

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Posted by on in Assistance, children, collaborating, Community, Family, Hiking and Nature, Historical, impediments, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal goals, Personal Values, service, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

September 11, 2026- Hana has no idea about the events of 25 years ago. Her parents were in Middle School, back then, I was making an effort to become fully employed. Her paternal grandmother was fully employed, and made a a concerted effort to explain the events to her Second Graders, before all were dismissed early.

I hope, against hope, that my granddaughter will not have to endure anything like what thousands of people experienced, on that turbulent day. She has had a safe and stable life, thus far. While I want to see her face challenges, and develop strengths, I also want these to be of her own choosing.

Hana has been more vocal and a bit feistier today, than heretofore. While I was feeding her oatmeal, this morning, she engaged me, just a bit, in a game of “keep away”, with her spoon. I pretended to be shocked and covered my eyes for a few seconds, then “pop”, I gently took the spoon back. This evening, while I was putting her high chair straps in place, she took one of the straps and began babbling about how she wanted it put over her shoulder, just so. I followed the “instructions”, to her delight.

HANA’S NOTE- I am almost ready to say words in Papa’s and Daddy’s language. I am also almost ready to start walking. Today, I scooted halfway around the play pen.

YEAR IN REMEMBRANCE-2025 This was another year of almost constant motion. I made it back to the Philippines, in February, and was actively contemplating moving there. I knew there was no guarantee that Kathy and I would be together in marriage, but I wanted to make the effort. Besides, the country and its people had made me that much more a part of a larger community.

I hosted a couple from Metro Manila, for a week or so, in April, taking in the South Rim of Grand Canyon, Seligman, Williams, Sedona, Flagstaff, the Verde Valley and Desert Rose Baha’i School, as well as Prescott. They got to experience the Farmers Market, Bearizona, Sno Cap, Bell Rock and Montezuma Well. I became more familiar with the Filipino communities in Las Vegas, where I met up with Babo and Thelma, and Phoenix, where I left them off.

For much of the year, I focused on acts of service. taking on a remote administrative position with the Red Cross, particularly focusing on the disastrous wildfire that destroyed the complex at the North Rim of Grand Canyon. I kept on with volunteering at Prescott Farmers Market and appeared at some Slow Food events as well. Social gatherings at the American Legion Post remained important.

In May, I drove back to the East Coast, with stops in Kansas, Wilmette, Mishawaka and northern Pennysylvania, before,visiting my parents’ and youngest brother’s graves, in Saugus,. I took in Mystery Hill, “America’s Stonehenge, in Salem, NH. The return included stops in Downingtown and Oley, in Harrisonburg and in Crossville. Grapevine was a weekend visit, and the question came forth. A baby was coming, in December. Would I be willing to move into a house that Aram and Yunhee planned to buy, for the sake of the child? In a few short minutes, my plans regarding the Philippines were, at the very least, put on hold. I had dreamed of a granddaughter, and this child was going to become a reality. Kathy, and other Baha’i friends, see this as a confirmation of my worth, not as a disappointment over the change in plans.

In 2014, I spent about a month in western Europe. For several years, I had promised myself and others that I would return to Europe and expand upon the earlier itinerary. This year, I was able to spend six weeks, spending quality time in eleven countries and transiting through three others. Iceland was the first stop, for four days in Reykjavik and the Reykjanes Peninsula. Sweden was next, with Stockholm, Gotland, and Nynashamn (the home of a delightful young family, who are my friends of several years) filling my days. In Denmark, the magical city of Helsingor, Copenhagen and Arhus won my heart. Germany focused on Berlin, Heidelberg and Frankfurt-am-Main. Austria, with sweet days in Vienna and Salzburg, was the midpoint of the journey. Poland presented the heritage of Krakow and the dark legacy of Auschwitz, with the town of Oswiecim as its gentle counterpoint. Croatia showcased bustling Zagreb and lively Split, where I met up with another online friend. Bosnia & Hercegovina presented the joy of Old Town Sarajevo and the grim heritage of Srebrenica, I transited through Czechia, Hungary and Slovenia, getting a brief taste of those beautiful countries. I returned to France, focusing on opposite ends of one of my ancestral homelands-Strasbourg and Metz, in the east; Le Havre and Dieppe, in the west, with a bus rid across Paris as the link. England was a revelation, at Portsmouth and Salisbury, the latter with its magnificent cathedral. Wales gave me a chance to connect with another online friend-at Fishguard. In Ireland, another ancestral homeland, I passed through Wexford, from where my maternal forbears are believed to have left for Germany, in the days of the Hanseatic League. I spent three days in Dublin, taking in the heritage of the waves of Celts, Vikings and English who built that grand city. Scotland, and a visit with another online friend, plus two happy days in Edinburgh, capped the journey. I was able to connect, albeit fleetingly, with Baha’is in Iceland, Germany, Austria and Ireland, the last being for the Twin Birthdays of al-Bab and Baha’u’llah.

Once back in Prescott, a scant month separated time in Europe from an increased focus on my Texas family. I spent Thanksgiving, and my 75th birthday in Grapevine with Aram, Yunhee and soon-to-be born Hana. Christmas brought me back there, and the last several days of the year were focused on wrapping up thirty-four years of Arizona living. On December 30, with the Pensky moving van loaded and my apartment clean, I bid farewell to one Home Base, and headed towards another: Prescott to Plano.

One lifestyle drew to a close, and another began; but I’m still a Sagittarian Seeker.