This last day of November dawns cloudy and rainy. Brown leaves lie on a soggy ground. A wind stirs damp tree limbs. It’s still dark this morning, but Christmas lights dot the darkness here and there. Nemo has been out and is now in, rather wet, but he doesn’t mind the rain as long as […]
Parliaments and Rafters
A parliament came my way a few years ago, via Minnesota. Really! My niece Missy sent, not a flock, but a parliament of owls and I was very glad to get it. It settled sedately into my mailbox in a neat little package–a very colorful group of small owls perfect for a mantlepiece or a […]
A Gathering Place
Are there times when you long for the warmth of a friendly home, the sincerity of a smile, the familiarity of people and a certain place, the knowledge that you are welcome? Do you ever turn to a well-loved book to recapture that comfort? I do. I go to Mary Roberts Rinehart. How many times […]
But What Happened First?
I became more and more dissatisfied with my story the longer I looked at it. It needed something more, something that would give a few hints to where it was ultimately going. Back stories are tricky. Too long and they’re boring. They are not the actual story but they tell what happened before the story […]
Characters and Character
“Character is much easier kept than recovered,” Thomas Paine said. But, what is character? Personality is who people think you are; character is the real you. Character is all your deeply-held beliefs, your goals, your standards, the things that make you laugh or cry; your hates, your loves, your fears, your belief in what is […]
October and Its Mysteries
You October people chose a wonderful month to be born. It’s a golden month, with the fragrance of apples and chrysanthemums, the time of harvest and tucking in of plants and insects readying for a winter’s sleep. Your birthstone is the fabled opal. Read about it. It has a fascinating history. And, of course, your […]
