What better time than a beautiful Sunday in Autumn to pay tribute to a person whom I have admired for a very long time... mainly because she demonstrates the golden rule practice of putting the needs of other people before her own. I’m a member of book/discussion group that includes Dorothy Appleby.  As she often does, today Dorothy brought fruit and vegetables from her garden to share with all of us.  These things are only small tokens of the great kindnesses she consistently shows to many others.

Oh... another remembrance on this good day:  Monday is the birthday of my good friend Anton Gulentsov, in Smolensk, Russia.  When I am home in San Diego, I write the daily BLOG posts sitting at my computer which is surrounded by book shelves.  One of the things I see every time I work at the computer is a dried garlic bulb on the shelf closest my writing desk.  It’s little more than a hollow shell now; so when I dust the shelf, I pick it up gently, careful not to crush the sides.  It was once fresh from a garden in Smolensk,  firm and hard. I’ve kept it since it was given to me by Anton at the departure gate in Moscow just before I left for my flight home several years ago.  A Russian folk tradition: When a member of the family or a good friend goes on a long trip, give him a garlic bulb for safe journey.  I value that garlic bulb. I’ll keep it as long as it holds together.  It’s a symbol of a fine friendship, a friendship that will continue firm and strong long after the garlic has turned to dust.