All I have to do is open my eyes in the morning, slip quietly out of bed, pad to the bathroom, wash my face, brush my teeth, then head down the hallway to our kitchen, flick on the kettle, open the blinds, and look out at the dawning day to remind myself of how trulyContinue reading “Blessings of Gratitude”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Think Big
Some people have just one, not me. Over my lifetime, I’ve had dozens or more precisely, one that has continually changed and evolved. Many folks write one when they’ve had a life altering experience, good or otherwise, or perhaps when they retire. It makes perfect sense because those are times when a person may realizeContinue reading “Think Big”
Low and Slow
It’s easy in every way, but one. The only hard part is keeping a lid on it until the appointed time. That’s because when the symphony of savory and herbaceous smells waft throughout our house, especially after each ingredient has been playing their part then blending with others, it’s tempting to open it. It’s downrightContinue reading “Low and Slow”
Adult Child’s Play
An extra hour of sleep, decluttering spaces in our house, and welcoming cool, crisp, and cozy days and nights, all mean one thing. It’s November! Hooray! I’m anticipating these joys, as well as three special days ahead. First, Election Day. Offering the chance to select our representatives and to have a say in the lawsContinue reading “Adult Child’s Play”
Because of Stingy Jack
No matter what, it happens every October. This is when I am guaranteed a few restless nights. Evenings when I toss and turn, when my mind twirls and whirls, when I glance at the clock every hour until the first morning’s light. No matter how much thought I’ve already put into it, or how muchContinue reading “Because of Stingy Jack”
Keep On Keeping On
Whether saving up for a down payment on a house, earning a PhD, or waiting for a Chinese bamboo tree to reach 90 feet in height, they all take about the same amount of time. Five years. While these are the outward results, hard work and much effort went into and were needed for themContinue reading “Keep On Keeping On”
Time Well Spent
When I taught school, each year began with a day of teacher training. Presenters came in to talk to our staff about subjects like team building, new teaching methods, and personal development. One time, we all met in our school’s multi-purpose room and the question posed by our facilitator was, “Who was your most influential teacherContinue reading “Time Well Spent”
A Little Lift
Only a week into October and I’ve got pumpkins on my mind. They’re literally everywhere! Lining walkways up to houses, overflowing in bins at local supermarkets, and populating patches in every city in our county. Stores feature them in holiday displays, coffee shops entice patrons with pumpkin flavored ones, and fall festivals adorn booths withContinue reading “A Little Lift”
Arils of the Punica Granatum
Jane Grigson, the English cookbook author and food columnist of the late 20th century characterized it as “no more than a closet of juicy seeds”. Poets around the world have referred to its seeds as ruby-red gems, and award-winning baker Kate Lebo wrote, “Cracking one open feels like lifting the lid on a jewelry box.”Continue reading “Arils of the Punica Granatum”
Let it Rain
I’m usually quite agreeable, but I have to take issue with a song that the American pop duo Karen and Richard Carpenter released in 1971 entitled “Rainy Days and Mondays”. I don’t object to either, but it’s the refrain “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down” that I find questionable. Mondays? Well, maybe whenContinue reading “Let it Rain”
A Journal Journey 