How to Swing Ahead
Do you remember being pushed as a kid on a swing? Maybe your Mom or Dad, or a big brother or sister gave you a big push. And then another. And another. After a while, your legs started pumping on their own. Sitting on my mother's lap, I heard the cadence of a...
Where am I and Who are These People? Wordless Wednesday
Cover Reveal of Memoir 2 Coming Soon!
How Do You Handle Plan B?
Life is All About How You Handle Plan B In 2013, the year I began blogging, my southern friend Carolyn gave me a clever memo pad for my July birthday. I haven’t used many of the chartreuse-colored sheets because I want the packet of pages to stay plump, so I can stand...
Dog Gone Tired? Wordless Wedneday
Have you had trouble commenting on my blog lately? One blogger suggested this work-around: If you use the back arrow after the error message appears, fill in your email address and name again. Then your comment should go through, and WordPress will...
What Happened to That New Book You Were Writing?
Last October, I told you, dear Reader, that I was working on another book. I announced that another book was coming down the pipeline with a quilt motif. You can read about my proposal again HERE. In fact, it was prophesied that Book #2 would be...
Breaking Bread and All That Jazz
“Do you want to bring a ‘starter’ over, or do you want us to start from scratch in my kitchen?” This was my query to grandson Ian, who visits our house often this summer to mow and trim the lawn and help with other chores like car-washing. “No, we can do it all at...
Our Marriage with a Trip to the Emerald City
The Emerald City lies in the center of the Land of Oz, at the end of the yellow brick road in Frank Baum’s fabled story, The Wizard of Oz, first published in 1900. In the center of the city is the fairy-tale Palace where the redoubtable Wizard resides. ...
Six Quotes from a Cleaned-up Desk
Cataclysmic events have rocked our world. This past year we have been confronted with the relentless effects of COVID-19, the unprovoked war in Ukraine, horrific school shootings, the border crisis, continual political unrest--and more. Regardless of your stance on...
Mother and Mavis: Graceful Aging
“I’m getting old-er, and old-er, and old-er. And I like it.” Mavis Dupree says with a giggle. Mavis Dupree is the mother of two blog friends, sisters Phyllis Platte and Patty Petersen. Their mother reached her 94th birthday in February this year. ...
You Found My Glasses Where?
The Back Story from 2016 The photo of a pair of transitions eye glasses attached to a scarlet lanyard is still posted on my Facebook page dated April 14, 2016. “Hubby makes a lanyard for my glasses today. He is not just being kind. He simply doesn’t want to look for...
Peaceful Pose: Wordless Wednesday
Beginning this week, I'll be taking a short blog break. See you again soon!
Czech It Out: Ludmilla’s Hospitality
Ludmilla is a humble widow living in Prague, Czech Republic. She has survived two political regimes, the German Nazis and the Russian Communists. Her life has not been easy; she has seen much sorrow. However, over the years, Ludmilla has come to view her kitchen...
Laurie Buchanan: Fast-Paced with Plot Twists
Laurie, A Model of Re-invention Laurie left home as a young teen without completing high school, but then zoomed to her GED and later to a notable PhD. She has reinvented herself more than once during her lifetime. To date, she has authored four books,...
We Wrote a Novel!
Dolly Parton Singer, songwriter, entrepreneur, philanthropist Teams up with Novelist James Patterson Touted as the world’s best-selling author Tops in their fields, entertainer Dolly Parton and novelist James Patterson are two disparate artists who have...
A Blooming Sinkhole & Vegetable Jewelry
Snowbirds Faythe and Howard Landis introduced us to Sunken Gardens, St. Petersburg in April 2022. You may recall that Howard is my second cousin, whom I’ve blogged about before when we visited him and Faythe last summer. You can view our escapades in Missouri here....
Grandma Shirley and Amma Marilyn: Mindful Grandparents
What Amazon Says Loving our children's children well is an art--one we keep learning as they grow. Making memories and fostering relationships with our grandchildren in the midst of a fast-moving culture isn't easy, and a legacy that lasts isn't crafted...
Mr. Mitch Finds Chika: A True Story
My Review “Mister Mitch?,” Chika asks. ”Why didn’t you have babies?” I pause. “What do you mean?” “You said people brought you their babies, but you and Miss Janine didn’t have babies.” I’m writing your story, Chika. What does that have to...
Spicy, Sweet Scent of Hyacinths – Ahhh!
Excerpt from “Easter and Politics,” chapter 24 in Mennonite Daughter: The Story of a Plain Girl Two doors led into Grandma Longenecker’s kitchen. On this particular Sunday, we aimed for her back door. After Daddy parked our car alongside the back porch,...