Do you know what posting generates the most responses on my Facebook page? Flowers! Our lilac and snowball bushes have been lush this year, and nothing says new beginnings like spring blossoms. The first weekend in May we attended Greyson and Kirstin’s wedding. We’ve known Grey since he was born, so it was quite special […]
Spring Break
Rather than searching for a destination for spring break, spring break came to us. One of our grandchildren called out of the blue a few weeks ago and asked–to our astonishment–if she could spend a few days with us during her break. This was a first for us. After I swallowed my astonishment and found […]
Autumn Musings
“I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers,” said L.M. Montgomery, author of Anne of Green Gables. I couldn’t agree more. I love autumn–the change in the air, the slant of the sun, the musty smell of leaves that takes me back to childhood. Henry David Thoreau said, “I would rather […]
Our Story of Hurricane Camille, 1969
Every year when the calendar flips to August and the first mention of hurricanes comes across the airwaves, my mind flashes back to August 1969 and the week before my husband and I were married. Sunday, August 17, 1969, 3:30 pm. “This storm looks bad. My boss said there’s going to be a lot of […]
Andrew Carnegie: A Legacy of Libraries
I love libraries. After each move during my husband’s Air Force career, one of the first outings with our children was a trip to the local library. It was an attempt to smooth the transition of our move and make the unfamiliar seem familiar. Looking back I wonder how many of those libraries belong to […]
Everyday Treasures
My grandmother (nonna) crocheted constantly, making beautiful creations–shawls, baby booties and blankets, doilies, table cloths, slippers, bedspreads–for her children and sixteen grandchildren. Every year on our birthdays she’d send pillow cases to me and my sister with a delicate crocheted edging. They were for our “hope chests,” which during our teenage years my sister and […]
Come Sail With Me
Have you ever been asked to look at someone’s pictures after they returned from what they claim was the best vacation ever? And you were bored to tears? I’ll try hard not to be that person but won’t guarantee it while I post photos from our Rhine River Cruise. Our wonderful excursion began in Amsterdam. […]
The Perfect Day
What would your perfect day look like? What would you choose to do? Yesterday was my birthday and it got me to thinking about how to spend the perfect day. First–Companions I’d love to have the whole family to share the perfect day, but since they are widely scattered I’m happy to spend the day […]
Pass the Torch this Memorial Day
Last Saturday I joined DAR members in placing flags on the graves of veterans at our Olathe cemetery. We share this responsibility with groups like the American Legion and together recognize veterans from the Mexican American War to our most recent conflicts. I noted with interest the Civil War veterans served in units from PA, […]
Renewal and Hope
All things seem possible in the spring. The world is flush with beginnings even as we shiver in heavy coats, marveling as the crocus and daffodils poke through a crust of snow. As the blossoms of April and May arrive I once again find myself filled with hope and renewal that only spring can offer. […]