Living on two continents ought to be the best of both worlds. After all, I spend the North American winter in Australia, where it is summer and the cold unheated Melbourne winter in Door County Wi, where cool breezes off Lake Michigan moderate the temperature. For three years my Australian partner and I have made this journey without any serious problems.

This year I leave Melbourne amid a whirlwind of uncertainties. The word is out that tourists traveling to the USA should leave their phones at home. My partner refuses to have his privacy invaded and will not come to America with me. Friends coming in on tourist visas have been detained by customs in Dallas and some have been sent back to Australia.

Now bombs are flying through the air. Yes it is on the other side of the world. But in this small world we are too aware of terror everywhere. My mind seeks a quiet place to think thoughts of peace, to flood the world with peace.

I travel to see family and try to support conservation efforts here in Melbourne and in Door County Wi. Yesterday I sent this video of our Silver Princess blooming in the front yard of our Melbourne home to the Urban Forest team. They are trying to encourage people to plant native trees that support Australian wild life. In the video the Rainbow Lorikeets are deciding who gets the nectar from the beautiful flowers blooming here in winter.