I visited my parents over Christmas, and one day I walked past a picture in their home of my maternal grandfather (the grandfather who took many of the pictures I’ve featured on this blog). As a child, I thought of my grandfather as an old man. I saw him as […]
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Pear Pineapple Compote Recipe
Did you get too many pears for Christmas? They are a wonderful treat this time of year, but the abundance can be overwhelming. I think pears are best fresh, with a little cheese on the side. But here’s a tasty recipe to use them up before they go bad. Pear […]
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 […]
Continue readingPlaying Santa with Grandpa and Barbie
Only my father-in-law and I were at my in-laws’ house late on Christmas Eve 1984. All the Methodists in the family except Grandpa had gone to their midnight service, which began at 10:30pm. Early to bed, those Methodists. The three grandchildren – my nephew, niece, and son – were nestled […]
Continue readingInnocence of Christmases Past
I wrote today’s post before the tragic events at Sandy Hook Elementary School last Friday. As I upload the post now, I recognize in sorrow that many families in Newton, CT, will not be able to pose their children under the Christmas tree this year, nor in future years. All […]
Continue readingSuper-Jesus and the Season of Mystery
My family is an eclectic mix of Catholics, Protestants, agnostics, and skeptics. Most of the time we muddle along just fine, but on occasion things get a little jumbled. I wasn’t present when this incident occurred, so let’s just say it’s a mix of fact and fiction. Much like the […]
Continue readingJingle Bell Villanelle
As Christmas approaches every year, I worry about all the things to do — send cards, buy presents, mail packages, make travel plans. I feel overwhelmed. Here is the poem I wrote a couple of years ago to express my frustration. It is in the classic villanelle rhyme scheme. Jingle […]
Continue reading‘Ode to Joy’ on Our Wedding Anniversary
I always assumed I would walk down the aisle at my wedding to the strains of the Bridal Chorus from Wagner’s opera “Lohingren” (also called the “Wedding March”). You know the one: “Here comes the bride, All dressed in white, . . . “ So imagine my surprise when I […]
Continue readingMeet the Parents and The Circle of Life
No, my dad isn’t Robert DeNiro, but we did have our own version of “Meet the Parents” just before my husband and I were married. As I’ve mentioned before (see here and here), my husband and I are about to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. We got married on the […]
Continue readingMy Gratitude List, 2012
Gratitude journals are a tool used in many disciplines. Psychologists prescribe them to combat depression. Writing and creativity coaches encourage them as inspiration. Religious leaders recommend them as a way to focus on the blessings in our lives. There is even a Wikipedia entry on gratitude journals, and for those […]
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