Booker, in the midst of an exuberant puppy leap, tackled a milkweed plant. The plant’s pod, which had been swaying in the breeze, burst open and released its fluffy down-like seeds to the world. Booker pounced again, took a bite, and shook his head in a killing frenzy. When he lifted his face it looked like he had a white… Read More

A reader asked me to write about the end of life paperwork my husband has been getting together “just in case.” Here are some of the general items we have lined up to make the surviving spouse’s situation a bit easier:  There is a list of names, addresses, and contact numbers. Somebody will need to get in touch with… Read More

One of my teachers told a story in class that has meaning to me. My teacher’s friend—I’ll call her Ann—was testing the faith waters. Ann felt somewhat alone in this world, and scoffed at the notion of a greater power interacting with her life. “If there is someone out there show me a sign and I’ll believe,” she said. “I’m… Read More

My husband and I were discussing the passage of time the other day as we walked Booker. We agreed that there comes a moment of jolting revelation—you realize you have lived more days than you probably have left—that alters one’s thinking. Of course nobody knows how much time they have on this earth, and the common sense approach is to… Read More

Earlier this week I joined a dear friend in her garden for a glass of wine and conversation. We had not seen each other for a number of months and the reunion was filled with hungry questions, raucous laughter, and patient listening. The afternoon sun, although shining like thick lemon custard, quickly lost its power to warm. We shivered into… Read More

Picking Daisies If I had my life to live over…I’d dare to make more mistakes next time… I would be sillier than I have been this trip… I would take more chances. I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers. I would eat more ice cream and less beans…If I had my life to live over, I would start… Read More

The young sales clerk appeared to be full of sparkly energy. As I paid for my purchase she lowered her voice and said, “I can’t wait for this day to be over.” Taken aback by the inconsistency between her actions and mood, I asked if she had been having a bad day. “It hasn’t been one of my better ones.”… Read More

I found this Zen quote today and liked it a lot: “Begin to see what is in front of you, rather than what you learned is there.” -Stephen C. Paul The odd thing is I had just spoken with a woman who said pretty much the same thing as we discussed the idea of wilderness and being a woman. Talk… Read More

My daughter’s best friend is entering the world of waitressing. I admire her for two reasons: 1. She’s bright and ambitious. This job will enable her to reach a long standing dream to travel. 2. Being a waitress is life-changing. What? Yes. I mean it. I’ve been a waitress several times in my life—right after high school and into college,… Read More

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

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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

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

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

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

I love to observe people who are out and about. Sometimes I’m disappointed in what I see—like parents and children screaming at each other—but often I’m deeply touched. On a recent trip I witnessed an older gentleman who was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. His behavior was inconsistent at best, and a bit scary at worst when his temper… Read More

Over the past several days my husband, my daughter, her boyfriend, and I went camping at Isle Royale National Park. It is a magnificent cluster of islands keeping a respectful distance from Minnesota, Michigan, and Canada. In other words, it is pretty much in the midst of Lake Superior and doing just fine, thank you. The ferry trip from Grand… Read More

I was talking with a friend yesterday and we both agreed that it is annoying when catalog companies take a thirty year old looking woman who has grey hair and promote her as “old.” My friends and I look our age for the most part. We cheat where we can, but when standing naked in front of the mirror the… Read More

While I was in Tibet my husband joked that he would not clean the house until the day before I returned. I have no idea how things actually transpired, but when I arrived back home the house and yard were well kept. I complimented him on his hard work. He sighed and said, “Thank you. Do you have any idea… Read More

This morning I was reading a Newsweek article about China’s plan to take advantage of the United States’ apathy in job creation. The statement that left me wondering the most was, “China, for instance, clearly has every intention of leading the world in job creation in the clean-energy sector, pleased that we are a sleeping giant.” -America’s Workers Get Stiffed Again… Read More

It was a gorgeous summer day…not too hot…not too humid. I put on a sleeveless tee shirt, jeans, and sandals and headed out to run my errands. I try to keep in decent shape by working out on weight machines three times a week, gardening, and whatnot. I also try to cut myself some slack for aging like a ripe… Read More

Ive been working on a college paper with a frenzy equal to chocolate cravings during my period. Its not pretty, and my husband has learned to keep a safe distance. During this paper-writing mania I have barely lifted a finger to clean the house. I hate a dirty house, but the cobwebs are actually rather decorative, and Halloween is only… Read More

After a restful weekend at Stout Island Resort earlier in the summer, I pestered my long-suffering husband to build two fairly large flower boxes. I had liked the designs of the boxes on Stout Island, and thought they would be the answer to a pest-control issue I was having…also known as Booker. Perhaps I should further explain– I’ve never been… Read More

When I was on my trip, a gentleman from California seemed intrigued with my Minnesota nice ways. He was actually about five years older than me, but tried not to be generationally similar. It became a running joke between us that I would help him rediscover manners. For instance, while shooting a photo, he’d wave me off and say, “Get… Read More

My time in Tibet was a study in change. It is fascinating to see people who don’t have running water in their homes talking on cell phones. Horses are still being used for transportation, but there were a lot of motorcycles as well. Nike tennis shoes often flashed beneath traditional Tibetan clothing as people walked by. Old and new finding… Read More

My recent absence from blog writing was due to an extraordinary opportunity that came my way. I was able to spend almost three weeks visiting China and Tibet in July, and will now forever carry the wonders of the journey in my heart. I had initially hoped to be able to blog from afar, but quickly discovered the Chinese government… Read More

It was another brutal 102 degree day. My husband and I had decided to accomplish a list of errands in the metro area, and set off hoping my car tires wouldn’t melt before we arrived at the various destinations. I think I’ve mentioned a few times that my husband is one of those rare gentlemen that still opens doors for… Read More

I have no idea why this memory hit me, but it came in a gentle rush of warmth as I was winding down to sleep. It involves my grandmother and a ritual we had as I was growing up. My grandfather died three months after I was born. He had been suffering through brain cancer for a long time and… Read More

I was thinking about undergarments the other day. I vividly remember the girdles my grandmother and mother used to wear when dressing for church or other outings that required a dress. In a designated drawer the serious shapers waited to perform their duty. Most were cream or nude in color, but all of them required shimmying determination to get up… Read More

This past weekend found me staring at the skid marks of where 35 years have gone. Yep. High school class reunion time. Wahoo! Go class of “76! When the somewhat last minute notices came out there wasn’t enough time to panic about appearances, which was a relief. I decided this is what I look like at my age, and that… Read More