Tomorrow is my oldest daughter Sarah’s birthday. As is my custom, I am sharing her birth story, which in her case was a bit more harrowing than her sisters’ births. As a physician herself now who has delivered a fair number of babies, I’m sure this story gives her a few shivers. But the good…
Revisiting “Just a Little Hope,” A Song Written by My Little Brother and Me
Last night, one of the members of my writing group, Taffy Kennedy, mentioned the song that had “hope in the title” that I had written with my brother Sam. I was so touched she remembered, I promised I’d find it so she could hear it again. Here it is below from a previous post here…
Flash Fiction: The Healing of Spring
Spring was just closing the door to her garage when he appeared. A lone figure at the end of her driveway, a dark silhouette against the gray dusk. “Hey,” he called, and she froze. She recognized that baritone voice from her past, her college boyfriend, Aaron, the one she almost married before he announced he…
Mother’s Day, 2025
I am a lucky woman. My daughters, Sarah and Liz, and their families were here at the orange grove yesterday and today, and my third daughter, Rachael, was with us from Wednesday through Friday at noon. I am tired but happy. Here are a few photos of my grandkids, Sarah, and Liz. I am using…
To Mom on Mother’s Day Eve
I wrote this piece a while back, but it still reflects many of my feelings about my mother. This could be titled, “Some of My Favorite Things about Mom.” I was thinking about my mother today and the secret things I loved about her. For example, I loved her smell, which was a combination of…
Poem: A Rescue Mission
My childhood self sat alone and afraidat the bottom of a deep, dark cave She had no ability to save herselfShe was small, vulnerableUnaware of options I knew she was thereI was aware I could save herI understood I was the only person Who could rescue her I stood at the cave’s mouthFaced the darknessIgnored…
Flash Fiction: Edith’s Tear
This is a story I wrote a while back. I thought I would share it tonight because I like the main character’s voice, and the ending made me smile. Dad gives me a wink, like we are pals or something. We’re sitting in our kitchen having eggs and waffles on a Sunday morning. I’m not…
Congratulations to Marie Howe for Her Pulitzer Prize in Poetry!
I love Marie Howe’s poetry. It is accessible, heartfelt, and beautifully expressed. I first saw her when she was a guest on fellow poet Billy Collins’s Masterclass and she read her poem, “What the Living Do,” which expresses her grief over losing her brother John to AIDS in 1889. I lost two brothers, John and…
Easy and Delicious Instant Pot Recipe: Honey Garlic Chicken
I plan to make this recipe this evening. It’s easy and delicious. I’ll make rice to go with it since the sauce from the chicken is so good. I got the recipe from https://diethood.com/instant-pot-honey-garlic-chicken-recipe/ if you want more information. The recipe uses sesame oil, which gives it a wonderfully rich flavor. This is a definite go-to…
Thanks for Visiting, Scott and Amy Ellis!
Our neighbors, Scott and Amy Ellis, from Sherman, Texas, visited us last week. One of the purposes of their trip (besides fun) was for Scott to help us set up our new solar panels. Thanks, Scott, you were a great help. On the other days, we enjoyed the beach, visited a few sites around our…
20 Minutes a Day 