We made a quick trip up to Ojai today to handle some business and discovered the grove in full bloom with the hum of bees everywhere. A grove filled with orange blossoms – so sweet and pure – is one of the loveliest scents on Earth. Seeing the bees busy doing their job added an…
Author: lenleatherwood
I am a native Texan who has lived for the past 30 years in Southern California. I am a published author of both short memoir and fiction, a two-time Pushcart nominee, a nationally award-winning writing coach, 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 four darling children and the wife of a man I still love after 44 years.
Ray’s Birthday
We have been celebrating Ray’s birthday all day. Breakfast with Rachael and Ariel at Hugo’s at 11. A snack and chat with Liz and Ron at their apartment in Glendale. Then the official whole family gathering at Sarah and Gregorio’s house in Pasadena for dinner and presents. That started around 3:30 and it is now…
One Major Paper Down!
I have just helped one of my college students finish a 20-page paper on the Aryan Brotherhood. Feel free to ask me anything; she and I have spent a lot of time researching this prison gang. We have been working since 1:30 pm today and it is now 9. I am going to bed now….
Repost: To My Brother John on What Would Have Been His 73rd Birthday
I recently came across my mother’s memory book of my brother, John. It contains family photos, several letters from John she received in the months prior to his death, along with condolence cards and letters after he died in 1990. He was 46 at that time. He had been diagnosed with AIDS less than 2…
Congratulations to Alexa Nourafchan for Her National Silver Medal from Scholastic Artists and Writing Contest!
I am very pleased to announce that my writing student Alexa Nourafchan has won a national silver medal in the “Personal Essay” category from the Scholastic Artists and Writing contest. This is the oldest and most prestigious writing contest for youth in the United States and required Alexa to win a Gold Key in the…
Reflections on Birth Order in My Big Family
I am the fifth out of six children; technically, the fifth out of seven since my little brother, Robert, died just a few hours after his birth. I was 18 months old at the time of his death. From my perspective, there were two sets of kids in our family: the older kids: Leslie, John…
My Morning at the St. Thomas the Apostle “Breakfast Club.”
We have grandbabies with us this evening for an overnight so my post is going to be short and sweet. Here is my early morning stint at the St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood, “Breakfast Club.” These fine volunteers are a lot of fun. Cooking breakfast for the homeless is actually a pleasure when surrounded by…
Honey-Sweetened Pineapple Upside Cake for Liz’s Wedding
I made this cake to take with us to Mexico so that Ray and I can have our own “wedding cake” at Liz’s wedding. Clearly, everyone else will be eating a gorgeous one made of sugar. This is a delicious recipe. You can substitute sugar for the 1 1/3 cups of mild honey, but keep…
More Blessed to Give Than Receive
Sometimes money is not what it’s cracked up to be. I have met some of the poorest rich people and some of the richest poor people. The key seems to be to have an external focus. Self-absorption does not a lovely person make. An example of a poverty-stricken rich man was someone I had the…
Fong and His Family Visited Last Night
Last night, my student, Fong, brought his family all the way from Rosemead to thank me for helping him with his medical school essays. He said that his parents insisted they make the trek so they could express their gratitude to me for my assistance. Fong will be entering the first year class of Herbert…
20 Minutes a Day 