“The squirrels will eat you out of house and home,” my dad predicted when we told him we were putting bird feeders in our backyard. He spoke from experience. Living in the country in a cold climate, he routinely put out bird food to entertain my homebound mother. In the summer it was bird food … Continue reading The Persistent Squirrel
family
On My Way Again: Thoughts on Enough
As you read this, I will be in Germany for a friend’s wedding. I am leaving my laptop behind and sticking to pen and paper for my writing. I hope to return with some tales of my travels and a spiritual insight or two that we all can share. As I prepare to leave, I … Continue reading On My Way Again: Thoughts on Enough
First Step on a Writing Odyssey
So the rubber meets the road today as I submit a character sketch of my mother for a creative nonfiction class I am taking. This tiny 300-word essay is the first piece I have written for public consumption in a memoir of my life told through my parents’ accounts of their lives. Just over a … Continue reading First Step on a Writing Odyssey
Summer Vacation
Tonight I make the turn to go home after sixteen days away from Savannah and my family. I’ve really enjoyed this trip but absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. I miss my husband and son and am so excited to see them, I refuse to be daunted by holiday traffic. Even in stop … Continue reading Summer Vacation
Block by Block
My husband and son are in the midst of a major renovation project. The Trio blocks from childhood have come out and dinosaurs and farmyards are taking over our living room once again. Fact is, it has been many years since the Trios have been used, but as we seek less screen time and more … Continue reading Block by Block
Betrayal
I was recently betrayed by some people whom I never would have suspected. Then again, I guess it wouldn’t have been betrayal if I had expected it. It might have been their perfidy, outright maliciousness or unthinking insensitivity. I might have felt hurt, angry or disappointed. But it wouldn’t have been betrayal, except these were … Continue reading Betrayal
Board Games
My husband and I have an ongoing disagreement. I like many video games and think within reason they are a positive, not a negative. Now this is not shoot ‘em up, adult-rated kinds of things, but if our son escapes for an hour or two after school from the “real” world by entering the world … Continue reading Board Games
Christmas Lights
I have had a set of Christmas tree lights since before I was married almost 15 years ago. They were early generation motion lights with settings to make it seem like the lights are chasing each other or twinkling or fading or…, well, there were 6 settings and I couldn’t tell you everything they did. … Continue reading Christmas Lights
Be Brave
My son and I went to the Carolina Renaissance Festival this weekend with some friends. It was incredible. Of course, any time I get to pretend I’m a princess is incredible – that’s been true since I was two years old! My child had a wonderful time too, but he did get kindly called out … Continue reading Be Brave
Grocery Gratitude
We had friends over yesterday so I ran to the grocery store after church to pick up a couple of shared favorite snacks. But I didn’t have my weekly list done – so I need to go back to the grocery store today. And if we’re running low on ground beef or chicken, I’ll have … Continue reading Grocery Gratitude
Openings: Let the Spirit in 