I am sitting here dead-dog tired. Preparation for graduation weekend is the culprit. We have family who arrived today from Utah and I don’t know why there is so much to do to get ready for people visiting, but there just is. Today’s list included: cleaning out the fridge, chopping up peaches from our peach…
Tag: 20 Minutes a Day of writing
Mother Mary, Religion and Me
I have two icons of St. Mary holding baby Jesus that are in the cabinet next to where I am sitting here in the living room. The icons are both gifts from our priest, Father Ian Elliott Davies at St. Thomas the Apostle, Hollywood. In both, Mary is looking right at me, as if she…
A 5-Star Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe
I realized today that I bake when I’m feeling a little droopy. Yes, I am a simple creature. Comfort food does indeed bring me comfort. So, today, I made for the very first time a cookie that many refined sugar eaters take for granted – the snickerdoodle. I didn’t know that this cookie had cinnamon…
Rachael: Texas Bound
We have a big transition coming up soon. Rachael Marie Beaty will graduate from UCLA on Sunday with a Bachelor of Arts in American Literature and Culture, then move to Texas on the following Thursday. We will be driving with her for that move so it’s not as if she will disappear four days after…
Our Baby Luna
Here is our beloved granddaughter, Luna Isabella, who is now 9 1/2 weeks old. For our wedding anniversary, Ray and I gave each other the gift of going out to visit Luna and her mama, Sarah, for several hours Friday morning. Rachael joined us, and then we all met Gregorio for lunch. That was a…
The Ordination Today at St. John’s Cathedral in LA
Today was a happy day for our church, St. Thomas the Apostle in Hollywood. Two of our parishioners, Shireen Baker and Steve DeMuth, were ordained as deacons; in six months, they will become Episcopal priests. They were 2 of the 11 people who were ordained today downtown at St. John’s Cathedral with Jon Bruno, Bishop…
What Makes Me Dull and Uninteresting: A List
This was a writing prompt from Dinty W. Moore’s book: Crafting the Personal Essay: A Guide for Writing and Publishing Creative Nonfiction. What makes me dull and uninteresting? A list in no particular order: 1) Being too polite 2) Being self-absorbed 3) Being afraid 4) Being nervous and self-conscious 5) Not taking risks 6) Not…
A Tasty Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe
I made these cookies today. The dough is mixed, chilled, then cut into slabs for baking. I have included below the original recipe from a GREAT cookie cookbook: bigfatcookies by Elinor Klivans. (I found my copy at a thrift store and use it often.) Because Ray and I don’t eat refined sugar, I have added…
Good Storytelling in the Film “Mud”
I saw the movie Mud today and I can highly recommend it. I was impressed with the acting – a welcome surprise when it comes to Matthew McConaughey. I also thought the story was first-rate and illustrated a few elements that are important for all good story telling. These elements include: A rich setting. The…
One of Those Days…
This has been one of those days. You know the kind – full of hurry, worry, planning and people. Too much to do in not enough time. Everything good, but filled with just enough tension to make it feel a little too hard. Yes, that’s been today. I am not going to write for 20…
20 Minutes a Day 