I often tease my husband about being an uber-social butterfly. It is not a title he claims, but the wing holes in his shirts tell the story. For example, when we arrive at church he begins looking around to see who he knows, who he might engage in conversation, and who he might give a hardy back-clap or handshake. When… Read More
It seems like Ive been writing a lot about food lately, but thats only because I have been. As the season changes from summer to fall my Norwegian/German/Bohemian genetics want me to put on winter insulating pudge. How can I deny my heritage? Were going to have a robust apple crop this year, and I just made my first pie… Read More
The face in the mirror…
I was talking to an acquaintance today and she mentioned that her sweetie of fifteen years had gone to the Burning Man event in Nevada. She said she reacted strongly when he called and casually mentioned the nudity and shenanigans that are part of the Burning Man environment. At first I wasn’t sure what she meant by “reacted strongly,” so… Read More
Seeds for joy…
The second crop of raspberries is ripe, and I was out there this morning vying for my share. The canes are a tangled mess daring the undetermined to stay away. No matter. If the bees and other assorted bugs can go after the quilted fruit jewels, so can I. Many of the berries literally fell into my hand begging me… Read More
A brother’s love…
At some point in his youth my husband was told there had been an older brother. It was somewhat unclear if the infant had been stillborn or if he lived a short while and then passed away. My husband said his parents didn’t really talk about it. I’ve often teased my husband about being raised an only child. The generalization… Read More
Ripe and luscious…
It’s always a fun challenge to come up with healthy and tasty meals. I knew I wanted to make a casserole—in Minnesota we call those bad boys “hot dishes”—and to keep it simple. Looking about for ingredients I pulled a package of frozen tortellini from the freezer. While the pasta boiled, I went to the garden and picked handfuls of… Read More
Love Boat…
This past weekend was my husband’s birthday. I always try to include an experience along with his unwrap-able gifts. Examples—one year it was setting up a make-believe campsite in our bedroom, and another year it was having him co-pilot a WWII airplane. The imagination involved is more important than cost. This year I found a place where we could get… Read More
Between the lines…
A friend of mine just had a book launch for her second mystery novel. I attended the event and told her I couldn’t have been more proud if I was her mother. She laughed and poo-poo’d all her hard work. It is so refreshing to be around women who have a clear view of who they are and what they… Read More
Defined by numbers…still
Yesterday on Houda Kotb and Kathie Lee Gifford’s hour of the Today Show, they encouraged women to wear badges declaring either their age or weight. The theme: numbers are not who we are, so why do they hold power over us? Houda mentioned that when she was in sixth grade she weighed 101 pounds and it was traumatic. She felt… Read More
Healing
I received a long awaited email this morning from a friend who has been going through challenging times. Her humor, laced throughout the text, assured me that she is doing fine despite the hellish summer she has experienced. Sometimes, even when a person is strong and extraordinary in most areas of life, there comes a breaking point, and my friend… Read More
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