I have always loved creating peaceful places. Houses, classrooms, dorm rooms, offices…wherever anyone wants me to come, I will work to make the space both functional and homey. It is fun for me, like a hobby of sorts. This weekend helping Hannah set up her apartment was exhaustingly enjoyable. However, shopping for hours, then putting … Continue reading Playing Hide and Seek with the Moon

Melt down. I had one today. It seems for the past 47ish years I have been a stuffer. That is “one who stuffs emotions, both good and bad, while smiling and nodding.” Don’t know exactly how the events of my life added up to this, but it is a fact. I am on an even … Continue reading Melt Down

So I had a dream recently. Most of you know this is not new for me. I have had dreams from the time I was very young. The first one I remember vividly was about eternity. I was about 7 years old. Since then I have learned a lot about my dreams. Some are for … Continue reading A New Dream

As I sat down in the scooter cart at Walmart today the greeter said, “You got lucky. You got the fast one.” Let’s just say I was hopeful, but his definition of fast and mine are two completely different things. In my world “fast” is more than .25 miles an hour. I could walk faster … Continue reading Walmart Scooter Racing

The majority of my nature writings are related to the mountains and surrounding beauty. I am a mountain girl pure and simple. Always have been. It’s where God speaks most clearly to my heart. However, about once a year, usually in the summer right after vacation, I write a piece or two about the ocean. … Continue reading Dancing with the Wind

1 in 10,000. That is how many women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer in stage one. I am one of those. I am rare, and rarity increases the value of something. My illness did not change my value in God’s eyes, only in my own. Cancer forces you to look at the world from a … Continue reading Created For Greatness

I just had a delightful conversation with a 91-year-old friend of mine, who happens to be an award-winning poet. She and I made a magical connection several years ago when I invited her into my classroom to talk about poetry. She led the students on a lesson of discovery when they created a progressive poem … Continue reading Poetry

Surgery is successfully done, but not without my usual little complications. Originally, I was scheduled for 7:30 a.m. this morning…to arrive at 5:30 a.m. However, my doctor had a doctor’s appointment. Kind of funny to think of it, but I guess they have to go to the doctor too. Fortunately, I found this out last … Continue reading Weakness = Strength

The date has been set for my knee surgery…Thursday. This Thursday. I know that is quick, but to get it in before school I had to get on the calendar. To be honest, I will be glad to have it over with. As most of you know, I am a person with medical phobias. That … Continue reading Surgery

I was driving through town today, trying to avoid the tourist traffic. I scooted around on a back street when I saw something beautiful…a red house with a tin roof. Hedges all around it were trimmed. The porch had plants and white ladder-back chairs. It was a beautiful scene…but the most beautiful part was not … Continue reading Simplicity