Remembering Daddy

    Today is my dad’s birthday. I’ve written about him a lot, both here and in my books. Only, he wasn’t called by his name, Bob Day, rather, he showed up here and there as admirable traits in male characters, especially the heroes, because that’s what he was– my hero. I can’t resist mixing […]

A Strange, Wonderful Sound

It took a while to recognize it. Sometime during the night, it must have started. It’s the sound of rain! Drumming on the roof, dancing off the deck, sluicing down the windows, rain! The street is a-glimmer; shimmers of lightning dance across wet pavement. Trees and flowers stand silently, lifting grateful arms to the dark […]

Water Waves and Freckle Creams

Water Waves and Freckle Creams

Come with me for a trip into history and delve into a 1921 issue of The Etude, Presser’s Musical Magazine. I’m not sure where I bought this magazine but it’s fascinating because it’s from a much different era of America. Woodrow Wilson was President that year; that is, until March 4 when Warren G. Harding […]

Cut It Out!

Cut It Out!

“Cut it out!” I used to hear this phrase a lot; not so much nowadays. It just means, “Stop that.” Stop doing or saying whatever. It’s a useful phrase, a word picture of taking a pair of scissors and snipping off something, or using a black marker and rubbing it out. The thing of it […]

Troubles

Troubles

This morning as I look out of my window on the world, I see a quiet neighborhood, a sleepy, just-waking-up neighborhood with shadowy trees newly emerging from night, the dedicated walker striding up the hill, a few people driving to their jobs already, and I’m grateful for normalcy. If I looked beyond the obvious and […]

Cutting Their Teeth on Books

Cutting Their Teeth on Books

At times, I fear for good, old-fashioned books, especially children’s books. That is, I fear until I go into a library or a book store. They are always busy with book-loving people of all ages. Then, I’m comforted; I know the written word is alive and well. I began reading to my son long before […]