Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is the last full day of summer! Didn’t summer just come in the door? And, now, it’s going out again. Hard to believe. Here, in NW Arkansas, the weather is slow to comprehend this and it’s doing its best to hold onto the heat. May I […]

Houses and Homes
God bless the corners of this house. This is part of an Irish blessing on a home. May your home be the place, a sanctuary of everlasting peace, begins a Jewish blessing. May the warm winds of heaven blow softly upon your house. May the Great Spirit bless all who enter there. May your moccasins make happy tracks in […]

The Secret of Singing Pines
Okay, Cozy Critters, and anyone else who has an opinion. What do you think of this as an opening for my fifth Ned McNeil moonlight mystery? I’m not going to finish this here, I’m working on it, though. Just wanted to ask if this is an opening that makes you want to read more. What […]

Drowsy September Morning
My street is waking up this morning. Daylight lengthens; shadows grow fainter while treetops turn golden from the rising sun. My thoughts, too, are stirring slowly, thinking about the day before me. Another mystery beckons, but I wonder…should I continue with the fifth Ned McNeil moonlight mystery or should I branch out with a new […]
Peculiar Celebration
I celebrate Labor Day in a peculiar way. I mop my floors. Actually, I mop throughout the year, but I make a practice of doing that each Labor Day, in gratitude for having a floor to mop and the ability to mop it. When I was a youngster, Labor Day marked the end of summer, […]

The Mystery of September Rain
What is it about a gentle rain that is calming, soothing, and better than a lullaby for putting a person to sleep? Rain dripping from leaves and eaves, thunder rumbling softly in the distance, September, tucking the world in, a soothing backdrop to sleep. Nighttime rain is comforting; daytime rain is exciting. Why? Children know. […]

