It’s Hard to Keep My Head On Straight

This morning, a neighbor’s dog woke me at 7:30, barking. Loudly. Continually. He kept at it for thirty-five minutes, non-stop. This is not an unusual occurrence. This happens regularly. The neighbors, it seems, are oblivious. The owners aren’t bothered. The neighbors around aren’t bothered–only me. So, does the fault lie with me? Should I be […]

A Leprechaun Comes to Kindergarten

A Leprechaun Comes to Kindergarten

“God needed laughter in the world, So he made the Irish race, For they can meet life with a smile And turn a happy face.” –from The Book of Irish Blessings, author unknown. A green mist seemed to shimmer in the sunlight that streamed through the window as I walked into my kindergarten classroom on […]

A Leprechaun Luncheon

It’s fun to remember special times and special people. Fran was one of those special people. This is a look back at six years ago and Fran’s St. Pat’s Day lunch. Fran’s luncheons were always a treat and the March get-together was no exception. St. Patrick’s Day was the theme so tables were decked in […]

The Ides of March

The Ides of March

To the ancient Romans, the Ides of March was a time for settling debts. For Julius Caesar, it was a time of betrayal and death; but, for us, it simply marks the middle of March and a week before the official start of spring.  This ides dawns with gloomy skies and damp ground. So far, […]

Put On Your Imagination

I took a warm, heavy sweater with me when I boarded the plane to Ireland and when I got back home, I hung that sweater in my closet and forgot it was there—until the next year, on St. Patrick’s Day. That year, St. Pat’s was a chilly day. Rummaging in my closet, I pullled out […]

Deceptive and Dangerous

Deceptive and Dangerous

The ancient brick mansion looked as silent and still as a painting in the moonlight. Nothing and no one moved. But, the serenity of the Carver Mansion was only surface-deep. The secrets of the past had pervaded the estate, marking the inhabitant for terror or even murder. Was the tiny, fragile owner hallucinating when she […]