Batten Down the Hatches

Batten Down the Hatches

  It seems that life is made up of one storm after the other, with peaceful stretches in between. When we feel tossed around by circumstances, it’s time to batten down the hatches and hold tight. One of my favorite poems is The Voyagers by Van Dyke: O Maker of the mighty deep, whereon our vessels […]

A Worthy Ambition

A Worthy Ambition

  Yesterday, the afternoon stretched before me. It was one of those days that I didn’t really want to delve into anything that would require much concentration. In other words, I felt at loose ends. Then, a niggling, guilty thought intruded. I needed to get started cleaning out the garage, sorting through, throwing away, giving […]

The Old Umbrella Oak

The Old Umbrella Oak

  A large oak stands in front of the house that belonged to my parents. It is so tall and its limbs spread so wide that anyone standing under it during a rain is sheltered, as if by a giant umbrella. The tree is old and has seen many changes. A busy street a few […]

That Was a Long Time Ago!

That Was a Long Time Ago!

    Yesterday was a this and that sort of day. My grandson asked me to make fudge, so I did–the old-fashioned kind that’s fun to do, the chocolatey concoction bubbling on the stove and filling the kitchen with a delicious aroma. But, before that…in fact, on Friday, I went to my favorite antique store […]

In My Opinion…

In My Opinion…

  A message spoken quietly with a smile at the end is more powerful than shouting with a raised fist. Love means I am more interested in your well-being than I am in my own. Even if something is true, if it is hurtful, I will not repeat it. Each state should take care of […]

What Are Grandmas Made Of?

What Are Grandmas Made Of?

  My mother had several Bibles. Some, she used basically for reference or footnotes. One, she read every day. She carried a particular Bible to church each Sunday until the cover literally wore out. I find interesting things in her Bible, in addition to God’s Word. She clipped items from newspapers, or stuck birth announcements […]