My dears, For those of you who were not able to be there, I wanted to share with you the order of service from Val’s memorial. People came from all over: from Chicago, New York and Argentina; from Alaska and New Mexico, New Hampshire and Indiana; from California, western Montana Continue Reading
2013
sometimes the best thing is to howl
My dears, One thing I shared at Val’s memorial on Saturday was this very abridged list of just a few of the things I learned from Val, or that we learned together. *** I spent fifteen years in the orbit of Val Garrison, friend of my heart. I learned a lot Continue Reading
a surprise against the light
My garden is full of rocks. They come from Montana, from Mexico, from Rhode Island, Texas, Argentina and New Zealand. They come from the Columbia Gorge and Alaska and the Black Rock Desert. There are knuckly geodes from my home in southern Indiana. There are glossy agates from the California coast. Continue Reading
A brief history of the life of Val Garrison
Portland, OR. 5/25/13 — The ineffable and extraordinary Valerie Louise Garrison died peacefully on Sunday, May 19, 2013, in Portland, Oregon, in the company of many of those who love her. Val filled her 44 years with creativity, curiosity, love and delight. She relished life, and in her hands a Continue Reading
The Salvation Tree
This magical tree portal on the top of Mount Tabor was one of Val’s favorite spots in town. When you walk between the trees it always feels as though you might end up… anywhere. Val always loved climbing Mount Tabor to see out over the city, and when things were Continue Reading
blaze
My dears, I want you to know that Val’s passing was beautiful. We had a few hours to whisper our secrets and our love to her once more as she slipped deeper and deeper into herself. Some of the great many who love her gathered quietly ’round, sitting on the Continue Reading
flight
My friends, She is gone.
receding
My dears, I have spent the last 20 hours without leaving Val’s side. Now I am taking a quick break to grab some clean clothes, deal with various things, and send a quick update. Sweet Val is receding from us, friends. Her body continues to decline. Today she can barely Continue Reading
head count
There is no knowing what will happen. Brooke and I talked with a bunch of nurses (at the hospice critical care house) today and they all confirmed that as long as they are titrating or changing meds, trying to help Val get to a comfortable sweet spot of breathing and some Continue Reading
doing well at the hospice house
My dears, Val is doing well at the in-patient hospice house. They have been able to observe her closely and streamline her medications with the result that she is breathing a little more easily (still with the oxygen cranked, but without so many scary breathing crises) and overall feeling less Continue Reading