Yesterday, we celebrated my father’s ninety-fourth birthday. It was a little surprise party in his room with fresh (yes FRESH) Dungeness crab as the main course, and homemade carrot cake for dessert. He was very pleased.

Ninety-two years ago today, on a leap year February 29, my mother was born. She grew to be a beautiful, strong woman — a trail-blazer —  with empathy as deep as Crater Lake.  It is now twenty years since she passed.