What’s the story behind Valentine’s Day? How did Cupid become part of this celebration of love? No, it’s not a plot from greeting card companies or confectioners. The answer is an interesting combination of Greek and Roman mythology with the legend of a Christian martyr added into the story. In Greek mythology, Eros was a […]
Let Heaven and Nature Sing!
We had our first snowfall several weeks ago and for two days afterward the world was glistening, transformed, you could even say it was enchanting. If you’re from Minnesota, “enchanting” might not be your adjective to describe snow. Regardless, I love this photo from Country Living Magazine and the accompanying cow that seems to have […]
Bienvenidos! to Santa Fe
After researching and reading about the Santa Fe Trail off and on for two years while writing Lila’s Journey, I was in a very sweet spot last week visiting Santa Fe, New Mexico. The purpose was a reunion with hometown girlfriends I’ve known since childhood, which is always special, so it was a win-win. The […]
WWI Liberty Memorial
I visited the WWI Liberty Memorial here in Kansas City yesterday. What a wonderful museum. If you’re ever in town or have a bucket list of great history museums, add this one. I was there an hour and a half and only scratched the surface. I can’t begin to do this museum justice in a […]
Aphids, Mud, Corn Rash and Sunburn: What gets better than that?
Nothing takes me back to my Iowa roots quicker than a picture of a corn stalk. I couldn’t let the month of August go by without sharing a blog from another Iowa native and dear friend, Mary Ellen Vogt, who wrote about detasseling corn as a summer job in the 50’s. What is detasseling you […]
In the Good Old Summertime
I love the slower pace of summer, don’t you? Fewer meetings and rehearsals, more leisure time to read (or write and rewrite), to take a day trip to someplace nearby, or simply to breathe. I have an interesting book to suggest, a yummy salad you might enjoy, and birthdays to note. Do you remember reading […]
New Beginnings
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 […]
A Heart for Safehouse
My DAR chapter hosted a Valentine’s Day party for residents at SafeHome last weekend. We brought lunch fit for a winter day–soup and chili–and provided entertainment for about a dozen children currently living at the safehouse. The kids played marshmallow pong, built spaghetti/marshmallow creations, made Valentine’s cards and played with the bubbles from a science […]
An Upended Holiday
I’m picking up the pieces from December, that very busy month of shopping, baking, decorating, parties, newsletters, and traveling that leads us to Christmas. If you are a musician or sing in a choir, that adds another layer to the activities, which, by the way, I love. This year we entered December with our master […]