The Fishing Trip
“Been forever since I fished these waters. Or any. Won’t be much good.” Joe watched as his grandfather stood in the shallows, silent and motionless. He hadn’t been himself since Gran died. “Ya know, Gramps,” said Joe quietly, “you always said it didn’t matter if we caught anything, just that we get our toes wet…
Life Goes On – Open Thought Vortex
Here we are, deep in the thick of the most celebration-filled time of the year. This week between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day always seems a bit…off. Business hours and traffic patterns are altered, school and the associated school bus schedules are suspended, and I never quite know what day it is (or even…
It’s the Most Flavorful Time of the Year! – Open Thought Vortex
Here we are again, friends. It’s that holiday time of year! And what else do we think of at this time? All things food, of course! But with all the food, festivities, and holiday gatherings, also comes all the holiday stress. Join me over at OTV Magazine today for a few thoughts on how to…
Anticipating Harvest
Where did he go, she wondered, when he left her? His retreat was much more than physical absence. No, this separation ran deeper. He left not only her, but himself and the world as well. While he remained in that suspended state, efforts to harvest even the slightest sprout of affection from him proved fruitless;…
Reigniting Your Passion – Open Thought Vortex
Good morning, friends! Ever feel like your passion has fizzled? That your zest for life could use a little boost? As we cruise through these days of late summer heat, let’s talk about how to turn up the heat and get your passion burning again. I’m over at Open Thought Vortex today…come join us! Source:…
Ain’t Life Grand: Family Celebrates Everything – Open Thought Vortex
We often think of celebrations as those occasions when we gather with family or friends for a particular holiday or life event. Those occasions are filled with their share of both joy and angst. (Come on, you have a family…you know it’s true.) We keep coming back, though, because underneath all the family humor and…
Room to Breathe
It is difficult to write about blessings in the midst of tragedy. I’ve fought with with my words for this piece and three others all morning, searching for a way to reconcile the half-written drafts with the fresh feelings of sadness that have taken residence in my heart this morning after news of the suspected terrorist…
At the End of the Day
What was I thinking when I said I’d write this post? I’m not even sure how I ended up being the supplier of the prompt except by accident. One minute I said I’m probably not writing about this, and the next thing I knew, Kristi said “will you” and I love her, so I said…
Kitchen Healing
“What’s for dinner?” I asked, mounting the yellow Cosco stool in the corner of the kitchen. “Tuna casserole. Bad day?” chop chop She always knew. “Yeah.” “You’ll have more.” Her eyes never left the cutting board, but her attention was fully on me. I felt tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. “I…
Start With Thankfulness
How often do you think, “I don’t know where to start…”? I find myself there often. I am very good at over-planning and under-estimating how long it will actually take to execute my plans. It’s something I know about myself, and even though I work to strike a more reasonable balance, I’m still learning. My…