The Soundtrack of My Life

From my journal: May 21, 1988 Redondo Beach, California “Heard “I Want to Hold Your Hand” on K Earth 101 this morning…I couldn’t help but smile…” Songs are powerful.  They can transport us to a time and place when we first heard a particular song, or they can bring up memories of an event, fillingContinue reading “The Soundtrack of My Life”

There’s a Holiday for That

From my journal: December 21, 2001 Thousand Oaks, California “Never went to work in my pjs before!  Pajama Day at school was fun!  Wearing pjs made the day very relaxing.” There are many things I miss about teaching; the students, creating new ways to teach the same subject, and the sense of community.  I alsoContinue reading “There’s a Holiday for That”

Art in Crafts?

I’m seeing myself in a whole new light these days, as I recently learned that all the time my family and friends complimented me on being artsy, they really should have been referring to me as craftsy.  This notion has been bothering me, but I’m not sure why. I mean, is being an “Artist” moreContinue reading “Art in Crafts?”

Waiting Just Outside

Thinly slicing sweet Fuji apples to bake on parchment-lined trays recently, I happened to glance out our kitchen windows into our backyard. There before me I saw an amazing flurry of activity. A breeze was ruffling the pale triangular jagged-edged leaves on the limbs of our white birch trees. A pencil-sized bumpy gray lizard layContinue reading “Waiting Just Outside”

Here’s to Women!

From my journal: March 6, 1986 Redondo Beach, California “Wish I could see her more often and that we lived closer. She’s so down-to-earth, fun to be around, honest, humorous and expressive…Three thousand miles is a very long way away.” Although I wrote that about my mom more than 35 years ago, I still feelContinue reading “Here’s to Women!”

A Presidential Visit

While I had visited several times when I taught 5th grade, my first trip there “sans students” was just three weeks ago.  My brother, Ray and his wife, Meghan were in town and when she suggested this outing, I was thrilled!  Located about 14 miles northeast of our home in Newbury Park, it took usContinue reading “A Presidential Visit”

My Happy Place

My earliest memory of visiting on my own, happened on a frigid blustery weekday afternoon in January, just after I turned eleven. With books in my knapsack, my blue puffy parka zipped to my chin, red stocking hat with a pompom on my head, matching mittens on my hands, and brown rubber boots on myContinue reading “My Happy Place”

Just to Say Hi

When was the last time you went to your mailbox, not your email inbox, but the physical one most likely posted outside your front door, then tugged down its handle, and inside you found an envelope with your name and address handwritten in pen right there  – smack dab – in the middle of it,Continue reading “Just to Say Hi”

Hello Sunshine!

Welcome Back! It makes me so happy to know that you are taking time out of your busy day to read my blog! It’s readers like you who make my digging through hundreds of journals and photos each week to find just the right topic to expand upon…you…you make it all worthwhile. To those ofContinue reading “Hello Sunshine!”