Rain

A dark, rainy morning. Thankfully, we’ve missed the vicious storms that hit Iowa and other places. My heart goes out to those people. A robin is cheerfully proclaiming a new day, maybe thinking of all the earthworms that will come tunneling to the top to keep from being drowned. As a hard shower started a […]

Culture and Traditions

One by one, we abandon traditions, leaving the past behind. It’s sad, because, although we shouldn’t live in the past, we need a sense of continuity. There is something comforting about following patterns, about observing practices that have been carried down through generations. It gives me a connection to my ancestors. Decoration Day, always the […]

But Where Do They Come From?

I don’t believe in fairies. Of course, I don’t. They show up only in children’s stories of years ago, those magical little folk who can nip through the air, appearing and disappearing as they wish. And yet, when I see mushrooms that have popped up in my grass overnight,  I wonder just what, exactly, goes […]

When Courage is a Must

This is another rainy morning and earlier, it was a rainy, stormy morning with thunder booming around the clouds. My pal Nemo the Furry One is not a fan of storms. Since his hearing is almost non-existent, he isn’t afraid of those loud sounds any more, but I’m convinced that he feels atmospheric change or […]

The Thing About Writing…

Writing is an exercise in imagination. I write in scenes and, in order to write a scene effectively, I have to be there. I have to see, feel, and smell whatever is happening at that moment. That can be exhausting but I want my readers to see, feel, and smell what I do. This involves […]

Over the Back Yard Fence

My friend and next door neighbor Peg and I often talk over the back fence that separates our two yards. It’s funny that we talk more this way than in each others’ houses sharing a cup of coffee. I was on my deck last week and I saw Peg about to go into her house […]