I come from a long line of creators. Not the famous or recognized, rather, those ordinary, everyday people who see what's needed—the functional and the beautiful. My grandmother rarely sat still. She tended her vegetable and flower gardens, quilted, and crocheted doilies. My mother and all of her sisters [...]
Charlels Dickens could well be talking about today in his opening to A Tale of Two Cities: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was [...]
I don’t know anyone who would argue against kindness. Without imperative data, I would guess that if you ask a random sampling of people in your local supermarket, they will all agree on the value of kindness. Then, at least one of those individuals might give a loud [...]
Whenever I feel adrift, I clutch the lifesaver of memories and can’t help but smile. My favorite? Any meal with the people I love and cherish. "So much of what is best in us is bound up in our love of family, that it remains the measure of our [...]
I can hear Janis Joplin’s raspy voice as she belts out, “Freedom's just another word for nothin’ left to lose.” I've been thinking about freedom, what we have to lose, and how we can choose to see beyond ourselves. What does it mean to be free? Why do some have [...]
I gripped the handle of the jump rope, unaware of anyone or anything around me. My stage, a wooden picnic table, my audience, the trees, swings, and sky. Song after song, I belted out the melodies from all my favorite yellow vinyl records. In those moments, I never [...]
So, how hot is it? When the Texas heat brought scorching days and humid nights, my dad would fuss and fume about the heat shriveling his tomatoes or thwarting the growth of his crooknecked yellow squash. We heard, more than once, “It is so hot you can fry [...]
The task—bring back the witch’s broom. The small band would do anything to find a heart, some courage, a brain, and one longed to return home. I shrank into the sofa, keeping my eyes shut tight as the wicked witch crackled threats and winged monkeys swooped and shrieked [...]
I sit in my favorite spot every morning: on the love seat, next to the end table with stacks of books, photographs, a cup of pens and pencils, and my tea. One morning, lost in thought, I glanced across the room. Could it be? A rainbow. Bright colors [...]
Pack a bag. Let’s go! “Where are you going this summer? Any travel plans?” I asked my friends. dental hygienist, and a checker at the local supermarket. Hawaii. Visit family in Oregon. Just hanging out. Not all of us can, or want to travel the world. Exotic locales [...]
