Fall Is For Roots, Spring Is For Shoots
We did a bit of landscaping this spring, with the help of a professional, and I'm loving the result. Coral bells have been blooming and miniature hydrangea bushes are just finishing their show. And the sedum is spreading like wildfire. "Fall is for roots, spring is for shoots." With the advent of Autumn and the cooler months of October and...
When Going Back Means Moving Forward
The car was filled "to the gills" and an equally full pick-up truck will soon follow. Our son is moving back to Chicago. This morning, as he and his brother headed north down the road that leads out of our valley, I didn't cry or linger in melancholy (as is my wont, being an Enneagram 4). Instead, I celebrated in my heart. Today, going back...
Take 5: Pause To Start and To Finish
There's plenty to read on the Internet about the benefits of "brain dumps." We're urged to take time before beginning a new task or at the start of a new day to write down (or dump) all the things crowding our brains. Tasks, ideas, concerns, lists. Put them all down on paper as a means of getting them out of the way to make room for the more...
Choose Your Music Wisely; It May Be With You Forever
I stood mesmerized. We had been walking through an exhibit of musicians who have performed at Red Rocks (above), an incredible, God-made music venue near Denver, Colorado, when a film about the life and music of Dan Fogelberg drew my attention. I couldn't step away. It was difficult to explain to my husband all the emotions stirred by the...
Take It Or Leave It
One of the benefits of living six decades on this earth is that gaining the approval of others matters less and less. As someone who spent too many years worrying about what people think, I'm finding great freedom in a new attitude -- "take it or leave it." We can let the expectations, preferences and opinions of others guide our lives or we...
What To Read Next and Where NOT To Order Meal Kits
Summer is officially underway and I'm committed to making time for all the books I hope to read during this season. In keeping with my theme Summer of Culture: Friendship, Feasts, Fiction and Film, I'm focusing on works of fiction. If you're like me, you probably read more than one book at a time. Usually, I'll have at least three underway --...
When the Well Runs Dry, Begin Again
Our 140-year-old brick farm house sits on property that is known for its natural springs. In at least three distinct spots on our hundred acres, water bubbles up at will. Our spring-fed pond is freezing cold year-round, but rarely freezes over in winter because of the springs supplying a constant flow of fresh water. And yet, some years ago, a...
A Summer of Culture: Friendship, Feasts, Fiction and Film
It’s Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer. As promised, I’m going to focus on some “F” topics that are “A+” in my life. A couple of weeks ago, I teased you with promises of posts on friendship, feasts and fiction. I want to add another “F” to the summer list — film. And all of these fit neatly into the one-word prompt...
On Embracing A New Practice and A Fresh Focus
There are some intentions, a few practices in my life, that act as a tether, keeping me grounded and on track -- spiritually, emotionally and mentally. Reading and studying Scripture and journaling have been like oxygen to me, especially in recent years. They encourage focus and provide direction and without them I feel adrift. Daily Examen is...
When What We Lack Is The Gumption To Reach For What We Need
I sat at a corner table in my local coffee shop on a beautiful spring morning recently, waiting for my friend to arrive. That's when the parade began. Eight gray-haired ladies, dressed in varying shades of pastel polyester, scooted past my table, one at a time, a few in pairs. They chatted, waving a free hand to one another while clutching a...
