One of the more sensational stories of the Oregon Trail is that of the Donner party, the group of emigrants to California in 1846 who were lost in snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains from November 1846 until March 1847, and allegedly resorted to cannibalism. As soon as their story […]
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Top Ten Lessons Learned about Blogging
I’ve been posting regularly (at least weekly) on this blog for a year now, and since May 2012 I’ve posted twice a week (on Mondays and Wednesdays). I’ve had some successes, but I also know I can improve. Here are the top ten lessons I’ve learned in the past year […]
Continue readingMy Mother’s 80th Birthday: The Meaning of Decades and of Days
I have mentioned before that my mother has Alzheimer’s. The last few years have been hard on our family, as we have watched her abilities decline. We recently moved her into an assisted living facility. Today, March 4, 2013, is her 80th birthday. We celebrate the milestone, while we reflect […]
Continue readingUrban Rain, Suburban Snow, Waiting for Spring
I just spent nearly three weeks caring for my daughter who broke her leg skiing. She lives in an urban neighborhood in Seattle. I’ve never lived in a truly urban environment, one with stores and restaurants within easy walking distance, so this was a new experience for me. While I was […]
Continue readingMy Nook HD and Flipboard (My New Favorite App)
I wrote recently about my computer travails, which required me to purchase a new desktop computer and a laptop within just a few weeks of each other. I mentioned I also got a new e-reader – a Nook HD to replace my aging Nook Color. That has been a happier […]
Continue readingMy Story to Appear in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Parenthood
My story, My Son Made Me Tweet, will appear in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Parenthood, which will be available on March 12, 2013. This book can be preordered through Amazon or Barnes & Noble. As the publisher’s description of this book says, parenthood is full of ups and downs, […]
Continue readingWriting Across Time
The Middlebury College Admissions Office uses interviews by alumni volunteers to supplement the online application process. As one of the volunteers, I’ve been talking to Middlebury applicants this month, and of course I have told them about my experiences at college. One of the things I talk to applicants about […]
Continue readingPreparing for the Trip to Oregon: Keturah Belknap
Last year I posted several times about travel along the Oregon Trail in 1847, the year in which the novel I am working on takes place. (Click here and here for samples, or search this blog for “Oregon Trail.”) Several readers have asked what I’m going to do in 2013. My […]
Continue readingGratitude for Readers and Other Bloggers (and additional awards for this blog!)
Many thanks to those of you who have written comments on my earlier posts or on Facebook, or jotted a note in your Christmas card to me, telling me you have enjoyed something I have written. I am humbled whenever I receive your feedback, because it is I who thank […]
Continue readingDid You Have a Memorable Holiday? Write About It
I hope your holiday celebrations have been filled with magic moments – moments you want to remember. Or moments when you realized a truth about yourself or a family member. Or even moments of sadness, when you felt a loss or remembered a happier time. If you had such moments […]
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