The sun played hide and seek with the clouds, casting flitting shadows across the overgrown lawn as I got out of my car and walked to the back. Amazingly, remnants of my old rope swing still clung to a sturdy limb of the oak. The rope was frayed and gray, looking like it would disintegrate […]

Least Said, Soonest Mended
·“Least said, soonest mended” is an idiom I think of a lot. It’s useful in many situations. Something is more easily forgotten if it’s not mentioned; feelings are less apt to be hurt if thoughts are kept to oneself; words once spoken can’t be taken back; angry words left unspoken don’t have to be forgiven. […]
Lessons From Nemo
·Food is good. Enjoy it. Any time is a good time for a nap. If you don’t catch a squirrel today, there’s always tomorrow. A short walk restores the soul. Sniff everybody; if they smell Ok, they’re a friend. Things that can’t be avoided are best dealt with graciously. (No snapping or growling.) […]
Re-visiting Ireland, Seven Years Later
·Green fields of every shade imaginable could be the reason Ireland is known as the emerald isle. The country itself is small, about the size of the state of Indiana. Population is 6.4 million with a million of the people living in Dublin. It reminds me of a jewel, truly an emerald surrounded by a […]

No Such Thing
·In a book, there is no such thing as unimportant characters. They are all important and crafting them is a meticulous, fun job. In the Ned McNeil cozy mystery series, Ned, of course, is the protagonist. Then, there’s Cade, Pat, and Jackie. Another person in this series who insisted that I take care to describe […]