Here's a song I think you might love: "I'm Gonna Walk It With You."

Could Brian Claflin and Ellie Grace's song be more beautiful, uplifting, inspiring, or on point? I don't think so. It's exactly the kind of song I need playing in my head right now, and it truly warms my heart to feel the kindness and strength of character behind it. Maynard Moose may have sparked my affection for the Claflin-Darrigrand family decades ago, but my appreciation for them and their work is still growing.

Wyatt and I listened to this song at least a dozen times today. Part way through dinner, he hummed and sang, "I will face the man in the tallest tower..." but then he stopped. "Who's the man in the tallest tower? A king?" "Maybe," I said. "It could be anyone who's directing things or making rules from somewhere so high, you can't reach." "Ah. Like a king. Mom. Can we listen to that thing we listened to over there on that sofa, that thing where all the voices told the story about the King in England who burned houses and threw people into the water? Does that story only happen at a certain time of year? Or can we hear it now? You know the one I mean, right?" No. I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about. And I was shocked by my obvious lack of judgment. But after some further questioning, I realized he meant NPR's reading of the Declaration of Independence. The 2016 reading is here. We listened again tonight, and I caught myself holding my breath several times.

How did you spend your weekend? I spent a lot of it outraged, sad, and reading news reports and social media posts as the events around the Muslim Ban began to unfold. On Sunday, though, we celebrated with friends and strangers at the Asian Art Museum, ushering in The Year of the Rooster (or Cock, if you prefer!) with crafts, art, stunning student performances, and Chinese traditions.

Over the past week, I have been consuming way more news than salad, and that balance needs to change. We made a stunning seasonal salad on Saturday night: Spinach with pomegranate seeds and blood oranges, tossed with a balsamic vinaigrette. For the vinaigrette, I used the usual 1 tablespoon vinegar and 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and also added about a 1/4 teaspoon of tarragon mustard. Wyatt and Marc were tasked with pomegranate seed removal. To get them started, I quartered the fruit by cutting out the flower-end of the pomegranate with a paring knife, inserting my thumbs, and then prying the fruit into four pieces. We also had a swoon-worthy Creamy Tomato-Fennel Soup, thanks to Catherine Newman's recipe.

Let's look out for one another as we move into another week.

(Resist, resist, resist! Donate, support, speak-up, and connect. Rinse and repeat.)