From teaching a stone to talk. Total eclipse -- The deer at Providencia -- The weasel -- From holy the frim. Paganism -- From an American childhood. Waking up -- Skin -- Being chased -- Jokes -- Waking up wild -- Old stone Presbyterian -- Turning out badly -- Envoy -- From the writing life. A writer in the world -- From image. This is the life -- Encounters with Chinese writers. Disneyland -- From pilgrim at Tinker Creek. On foot in Virginia's Roanoke Valley -- Seeing -- The waters of separation -- Tsunami -- From for the time being. Footprints -- For the time being -- From teaching a stone to talk. An expedition to the pole.