the road to peace twists and turns, rises and falls

(I wrote this last week as my husband, two dogs and I made our way down the freeway from Detroit to my uncle’s place in eastern Kentucky. Reception is iffy at my uncle’s so I didn’t bother trying to post anything while I was there.) Ahhh…. Wide open roads. Blue skies with wispy puffs of … Continue reading the road to peace twists and turns, rises and falls →

money and memories in a small town

My dad’s family reunion meets every year at my uncle’s place on the weekend closest to Independence Day. We’ve been doing that since he purchased the property over 25 years ago. He has an old tobacco farm on the outskirts of a town of 47 people. The town has an antiques store, a post office, … Continue reading money and memories in a small town →

birding blind in the grasslands

On Saturday, my spouse and I escaped the city for a few hours to participate in another guided nature walk. This time, we went to view nesting grassland birds. I imagined the walk would be a scavenger hunt for bird nests tucked away in the grass. We would peer into their homes like peeping Toms … Continue reading birding blind in the grasslands →

standing still

She stares at a bright sliver of green on the other side of the narrow forest opening. It is a lure beckoning through trees that loom around her like a formation of hovering mothers and nervous lovers pressing in on her, like uptight seaweed filtering out the sun. She is a hungry fish trying to … Continue reading standing still →

thoughts on moore’s a dirty job

Just finished reading Christopher Moore's novel, A Dirty Job. A friend recommended the novel knowing I'd enjoy the story and Moore's humor. The characters were quirky and fantastic. They all felt strong and bounced off each other to great comedic effect. I was especially satisfied watching the protagonist change from a neurotically paranoid anxious worrywart … Continue reading thoughts on moore’s a dirty job →

death is a free float through pink marbled-paper tunnels

I used to have horrible nightmares on a regular basis. The kind that caused my spouse to wake up because I was screaming. My dreams were full of monsters, demons, and weapon-wielding criminals intent on killing me, if not utterly destroying everything that made me 'me'. I was intent on not letting that happen. Besides, … Continue reading death is a free float through pink marbled-paper tunnels →

dad’s education as he saw it

Today is Father's Day in the States. My dad says the last time he checked, every day was father's day. He remembers when Hallmark created this fake holiday to sell more cards and thought it was just as useless now as it was then. I agree with him on the commercial aspect but I do … Continue reading dad’s education as he saw it →

two atypical saturday outings

Normally my husband and I spend Saturday mornings at the coffeehouse writing and reading. The rest of the day, we typically work on house projects or hang out with friends. Today we did none of those things. We started the day by driving more than an hour west of home to hike though rolling woodlands … Continue reading two atypical saturday outings →

i never said most of the things i said

"I never said most of the things I said." -Yogi Berra When I feel brave enough and aware enough, I wonder how much of "me" is really me and not the fabrication of me that I cobbled together. It's a fabrication built of social protocol, coping mechanisms, and family history, and it tends to run … Continue reading i never said most of the things i said →

the space i write

I dream of being that person working in zen-like surroundings with nary a hair out of place waiting to be photographed in all her perfection. But that person is not me. I write in chaos. The desk where I normally work at home is covered with books, supplies, fabric and patterns, snacks, and paper. Lots … Continue reading the space i write →