Bone-Chilling Cold

Bone-Chilling Cold

It is so cold this morning that Nemo hurries to do his business then wants back in directly. I understand. He’s a lucky little fellow to have a warm home and I, of course, am lucky to have such a staunch watch dog. Many little animals don’t have that and I’m sorry. Sad to say, […]

That Dangerous State of Affairs, Retirement

That Dangerous State of Affairs, Retirement

Retirement–that longed-for Utopian state for which I worked for decades. Lovely, unhurried mornings, peaceful, sunny days of travel, visiting coffee shops. Plenty of time for cleaning a house and keeping it sparkling, baking cookies, taking long walks. And, oh, my goodness, all that accumulated wisdom. Just a whole headful of good advice gleaned from years of […]

Memories–In the Past or Always With Us?

Memories–In the Past or Always With Us?

The morning sky is a quiet, pale blue/gray with rosy tints around the horizon. It is deceptively beautiful because it is deadly cold. I remember other January days when I was a child and the sense of excitement and adventure a new year brought. I remember bacon sizzling in the skillet, breakfast with Mom, Dad, […]

Just An Appetizer of a Mystery

Just An Appetizer of a Mystery

Last night, a thunderstorm blew through, in a hurry to get somewhere else, evidently. We did get a sample, just an appetizer of rain. It left me hoping for more. The temperature has dropped now to a more seasonal level.  You know, life has more real mysteries than a writer could ever dream up. Sometimes, […]

Determination, Your Name Is Squirrel

Determination, Your Name Is Squirrel

A small, bushy-tailed animal, a few years ago, made a big impression on me. If anyone had determination, he did. As I looked out my front room window, I saw a small squirrel, probably young and inexperienced,  pulling a stick across the yard. This wasn’t just any stick, it was  a big stick. It was at least […]

Thoughtfully Thankful and Blessed

Thoughtfully Thankful and Blessed

What is there about milestones or days of celebration that make us pause and reflect? I could do that any other day of the year, but at Thanksgiving or Christmas, past Thanksgivings and Christmases come trooping in to pay a call. And that’s all right, unless those memories cause such sadness as to mar the […]