Ray and I have arrived in SLC to see friends and relatives for the next few days. However, we had an unexpected snowstorm for the last 40 miles of the trip. That storm hit fast and hard and created chaos on the highway to Salt Lake City. Our GPS directed us to turn at American…
My Great-Nephew Eli’s Lemon Almond Cookies
Several years ago, my great-nephew Eli, who lives in Salt Lake City, created this delicious and nutritious recipe for a cake-like lemon cookie sweetened with honey or agave. We are headed to SLC now to visit Eli and the rest of our Utah family. We’ll likely make these cookies since they are always perfect in…
My Favorite Room in Our Home When I Was Growing Up
When I was a little girl, I’d sit in the living room of our house on East 9th Street and listen to records on our stereo with its pull-out recorder player. I think the records, such as “Get A Job” by The Silhouettes, “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford, and “Oh, Donna” by Ritchie Valens,…
On Forgiveness For Our Misdoings
If you look back far enough, you can see that we’ve all been scoundrels a few times in our lives. We’ve fibbed to cover up something we weren’t proud we did or downright lied when confronted but were afraid of the consequences. We’ve omitted information that could evoke a negative response or gotten too angry…
Flash Memoir: One Little Problem with the High School Prom Dress I Made Myself
When I was in high school, Diana Felmet was my Home Economics sewing teacher. Mine and every other girl in the school since Home Ec was a required course and boys were not allowed to take it. (Oh, how the times have changed for the better!) Anyway, I learned to pick patterns and material from…
My Husband Ray’s Homemade Products: Disinfectant and Face Moisturizer
During the pandemic, Ray decided to create his own disinfectant spray since he had an aversion to the smell of Lysol. The spray is comprised of rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide and has a slightly medicinal smell that dissipates quickly. It can certainly be counted upon to kill germs. We’ve been using Ray’s “product” as…
Thinking Tonight of My Maternal Grandfather: Robert McClucky Waugh
I never met my grandfather, but my mother’s description of him has brought him to life for me. He was a small man, not quite 5’8”, and very slim. He wore round spectacles and had bright eyes that shone when he saw his only daughter, Helen Marie. He called my mother his “little gurl,” since…
Sharing Writing + Connection = Happiness
Sometimes a person will ask me why I share my writing. “Isn’t it better, more pure, to write just for oneself and keep it tucked away?” My response is always the same, I share my writing because I want to create a link with other people. I believe in the healing power of connection through…
Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God
A few years back, I had a student who needed to write an essay on Zora Neale Hurston’s book, Their Eyes Were Watching God, so I had the pleasure of reading it for the first time. This highly-acclaimed novel was published in 1937 and from the very first lines, I was already in love. Here they…
Prompt: Have You Ever Experienced Prejudice?
When I was at the University of Utah, I was in a special program called Free Curriculum for my junior and senior years. This program had only 26 students and was offered through the psychology department. The program was experimental and was based on the idea that by allowing students the opportunity to create their…
20 Minutes a Day 