Parenting
Inspired by the Great Oudoors
Chrysanthemum, King, Emperor of Autumn, who will rule while you sleep? (from Siri Mitchell’s Moon Over Tokyo) I love October. I’m starting to think it might be my favorite month of the year. Finally, a reprieve from our hot, sticky Georgia summer. Nearly every week, I’ve joined other photo-snapping parents on field trips to farms,…
New Beginnings
It’s hard to believe that my kids have been in school for two weeks. After three years of homeschooling, I finally felt a release to let them go. I knew it had to be God because despite all the struggles from year to year, I wanted them near, to have control of them and their…
Watering With Coke?
If life is like a box of chocolates, is it any wonder our Bibles end up at the bottom of the TBR pile? My nine year old has a voracious sweet tooth. I hate to even give in to her first craving of the day, because I know by lunchtime she’ll have driven me batty…
Write a Letter to Yourself
“Have you had a good summer?” “I can’t believe it’s over!” “It’s gone by too fast!” These are the three catch phrases of the week in my hometown as our children head back to school. Tomorrow. Here I am this morning enjoying a quiet cup of coffee, alone for a few minutes — yet by…
But What About ME?
The box in the barn had a few mouse nibbles in the corners, but the contents were surprisingly intact. While sorting through our 25-year pile of stored and forgotten items, I found that most of the things should have been thrown out long ago. But this disintegrating container held a treasure trove. It was a…
Barbie…Interrupted
An apple-scented breeze provided a second’s relief from the humidity enveloping the pond. Barbara’s waist-length hair hung heavy and damp, she wished she’d had time to braid it, but Ken’s recent cell call had been insistent. He’d be waiting in the orchard, with news too good to spill over the phone. Or so he’d claimed.…
Timing Is Everything
Last night I was checking email, reading blogs and doing my own thing. My husband Tom was in the room with me, watching TV and doing his own thing. Companionable silence, it was nice. Suddenly, out of the blue, he said, “Hey, I don’t really like the way you have your hair right now.” I…
Getting into the Writing Groove
As I type this, I’m hoping the ceiling above me doesn’t come crashing down. Boom-da-da-boom! There are two girls in the room above, my daughters, who are dancing a jig. An Irish step dance. It’s highly addictive and they’ve been at it for hours. I think they’ve finally found their groove. Last week they attended…
A Goal Attained
Saturday I accomplished a life-long goal. My husband and I joined more than 30,000 of our closest friends (not!) and ran the Indianapolis mini-marathon. It was an amazing accomplishment to run 13.1 miles. Especially considering three months ago I’d taken a break from running. I don’t think I fully understand what I learned through this…
Donkey Trails
Our stray donkey, Flash, has a pretty good life here at our Barn House. No, he doesn’t get to come inside! But he does have free roam of the pastures and woods on the property. He has plenty to eat and plenty of time to contemplate. You could say he’s a Contemplative Donkey, but that…