The thundering boom shook the house and broke my concentration. That sounded really close. A quick look out our window showed me just how close. During the thunderstorm, the wind snapped the trunk of a huge white oak tree and knocked it across our road. While electric storms frequently visit Southwest Virginia during these summer…
With a heavy heart I shut down my computer. Maybe it’s time to take a break from social media. That morning, instead of cheerful updates from friends and family, I had read one controversial post after another. Fiery comments from people on both sides of the issue peppered the ensuing debates. As I walked away…
Is it just me, or has this Spring hatched an unusually high population of ticks? Before moving to Southwest Virginia I rarely made contact with these critters. But now I often see them up close and personal. So far, I’ve extracted two ticks from my hair, and one from my back. I’ve found two others…
Peering at the time on my computer screen, I sighed with frustration. How did it get to be so late? Slowly I stumbled into bed for what I knew would be a short night. For the next two days, I walked in a fog, completely ineffective and unproductive in all I tried to do. No…
Recently I suffered a loss. As I look around at my circle of friends, I’m not alone. Some losses happened long ago, while others are very recent. And although our losses vary in intensity, they always carry heartache and pain. Because of this, anyone who has lost something, or someone, grieves. I used to think…
Life is difficult. So reads the opening line of The Road Less Traveled, a book by M. Scott Peck, M.D. According to this author, once we understand and accept this truth, life will no longer be as difficult. Our problems lie, not just in the hardships we face, but in our belief that life should…
Today my husband gave me an extravagant gift. He did it in love, because I’ve recently received some sad news. He also did it in preparation for a very hard decision I will soon have to make. He hopes this gift will comfort me when that time comes. I love the gift, even as my…
For as long as I can remember, I have loved to read. Mysteries remain my top choice for “fun” reading. Apparently I’m not alone. Mystery books have always sold well ~ especially since many have been converted to television or movie series. The word mystery actually means anything that is kept secret or unknown. In…
For a brief period of time I lived above a boulangerie (bakery) in Paris. Each morning my roommates and I woke up to the sweet aroma of baking bread. With our mouths watering, we ran downstairs to buy our breakfast baguette. Bread plays an important role in the history of France. For years the French…
