I have been thinking of my beloved husband of 40 years today. How Ray does small things that demonstrate his love and affection. For example, in our Airstream, there are two shelves that he quietly decorated. They have a beige toy Volkswagen, a framed postcard of a coastline, a tiny typewriter, a clear box with…
Author: lenleatherwood
I am a native Texan who has lived for the past 26 years in Los Angeles. I am a published author of both short memoir and fiction, a Pushcart nominee, a nationally award-winning writing teacher, an editor, as well as a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Texas. In addition, I am the mother of three grown daughters of whom I am extremely proud, a grandmother of three darling children and the wife of a man I still love after 39 years.
Flash Fiction: Love, Loss and the Healing Power of Crows
Jacqueline heard the crows outside and felt called. Their caws brought her first to the window to see their black bodies balanced on the telephone wires and then outside to peer up at them. Caw caw caw they sang and she felt a sense of calm. They brought her peace in a way that she…
My 2015 Dia De Los Muertos Altar for My Best Friend, Patricia Butler
I’ve been thinking about Patricia a lot lately and then I remembered the Day of the Dead altar I made for her when I was taking ceramics classes at Barnsdall Art Center. Tomorrow is the Day of the Dead or All Soul’s Day, depending on your religious persuasion. Patricia was my best friend growing up….
Ray’s Return and a Gorgeous Piece of Music
Ray has returned from LA and he brought cooler temperatures with him. Though it was 93 today in Ojai, this evening it’s a chilly 66, the coolest at this time of night in almost a week. I can suddenly feel fall in the air and am snuggled under several quilts. We sleep with the windows…
A Dead Fox
This perfect little fox was lying dead on our road here at the orange grove this morning. I felt sad that this beautiful animal’s life was cut short. I don’t know what killed him/her. A coyote would not have left her so intact. She is the size of our terrier, Frankie. We have a plethora…
Another Night at the Orange Grove
Cool evening after a hot day A dog barks in the distance Quiet enough to hear the clock ticking Here in our cozy Airstream Husband off in LA Dogs both sound asleep Daughter and son-in-law a few tree rows down In their own snug home I savor this alone time In this cool darkness As…
Happy Birthday, Sister Leslie
My older sister’s birthday is in a couple of days so she’s been on my mind. This is a repost of the remarks I made at her funeral back in March, 2012. Good afternoon. My name is Len Leatherwood and I am Leslie’s younger sister. On behalf of my entire family, I’d like to thank…
Sunday Night
Quiet night Grandbabies have returned home We gave them good-bye kisses As they settled into their safety seats Stars fill up the sky Mars burns red Our dogs snuggle in bed with us Warm bodies to keep us company Cool air pours through the open window Orange trees rustle in the light breeze Darkness feels…
Our Orange Grove Saturday
This was an absolutely lovely day surrounded by many people I love. Slow, easy, and relaxed with cool weather as an added bonus. We even had an outdoor movie night hosted by Sarah and Gregorio. Wall-E. Haven’t seen that film in years and was reminded of why I loved it the first time round. We…
Babies at the Orange Grove
Here’s me with my little buddy, granddaughter Lyla, at the orange grove. At 18 months, she is keeping us all hopping. I had the treat of taking a nap with her, taking her over to visit Auntie Liz’s chickens and also watching her play. She, along with her brother and sister, add an indescribably…
