This week begins the official countdown to one of the busiest floral seasons of the year. (Have you ordered flowers for your Valentine yet?) I usually plan a quiet (and delicious) meal at home, and of course, it involves chocolate. And candlelight. We have a teenager still at home and so our daughter helps me with meal prep. It’s a …
The Only Guarantee is This: If You Quit, it Won’t Happen
At some point in life, you’re going to want to quit. The road will seem too long, the mountain too steep, or the circumstance insurmountable. It doesn’t mean you’re weak-willed or lack resolve. I think it’s more about the trial and the duration of the journey. It wears you out. Mentally. Physically. Speaking from a writer’s perspective, I know that …
10 Warm Thoughts for a Wintry Day
Brrrr! Is it cold where you’re at? In my neck of the woods, winter has reared her frosty white head yet again. I think the Ozarks is on round seventeen of this wintry muck. Snow, sleet, and a little freezing rain thrown in for good measure continue to shape the season. (Good thing I’m a writer–I don’t mind hibernating as …
Two Words Folks Need to Say More
Well, we’ve had quite the odyssey at our house during the past few days. I debated blogging about it, but I think sometimes we need to get things off our chest. Today is one of those days. Since I’m a writer, you might guess I adore words. Big words. Little words. Descriptive words. Words that encourage. Words that move. Words …
What Comes to Mind When Others Hear Your Name?
First impressions are everything. So are second ones, third ones, and ones that others will remember 10 years from now. What comes to mind when others hear your name? What feelings will your name generate? Will you leave folks with a mac and cheese kind of warmth or will folks feel the need to wipe off the persimmon residue? Recently, …
Dabblers Write. Writers Persevere.
It was a day like any other. For someone. Somewhere. But not for me. For me, stark white walls and the whirr of machines defined my day. That is, days. In fact, my son’s hospital bed and his sleeping form registered reality in a most unwelcomed way. Hours. Days. Weeks. How long had I even been there? Too long. I …
Hearth and Home: A Memory Past or a Present Hope?
Until about 6th grade, I grew up in Small-town USA. It was a sleepy, little town defined by traditional values and faith. With a reverent sense of hearth and home, we had our share of eccentrics and ordinaries. Everyone knew everyone and we knew all the juicy tidbits about everyone whether we wanted to or not. We knew who our …
Lost Your Sparkle? Time for Some Shine!
The end of January is next week. Can you believe it? For some, New Year’s resolutions are already distant memories. For others, those heartfelt intentions are quickly losing some sparkle. You may remember, I don’t make resolutions, but I do set goals. (That may sound like a little matter of semantics, but I’ve often heard it put this way: One’s …
Your Dream is Worth It
Dreams are the pieces of our soul, I think, that reflect our deepest yearnings. Sometimes, we speak words of affirmation to those yearnings and give wing to our secret desires. Other times, we ferret away vestiges of hope for fear of what folks may think. I’ll use writing as an example. As a little girl, I knew I wanted to …
Meet Miranda the Kitty
Today’s is a short, fun Friday post dedicated to my pet-loving friends. You may remember me mentioning that we recently added a furry new addition to our family. “Miranda” the kitty found a forever home with our family the weekend after Christmas. She’s about 18 months old, white with gray markings, and she’s a sweet little thing. (We’ve not had …