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Fifty Years of Finding Home
I’m taking a twilight stroll along the river walk when it strikes me: fifty years ago this week, I moved to the Dells. I can still see myself lugging suitcases down a narrow spiral staircase into the basement apartment I’d rented. The place had hosted seven summer workers before me, and it showed—dusty corners, greasy […]
It Takes a Crew—And a Little Glow—To Make Magic Happen
Last week I added a surprising new addition to my life’s résumé: hot air balloon crew member. My brother, sister-in-law, husband, and I joined my cousin Mike—a balloonist—at the Rhinelander Hodag Park’s Salute to Heroes Balloon Festival. He handed us T-shirts, pins, or earrings representing Wally, his smiling orange fish. The balloons wouldn’t be flying […]
That Creative Buzz
I’ve got that buzz again—that creative thrill that zings through me when I stumble on just the right idea for a column or dream up a fresh way to celebrate the launch of my latest book. My fingers twitch. My thoughts race. I feel lit up inside. I imagine bestselling Midwest authors like William Kent […]
Still Good for Something: Josie the Cockapoo Reflects on Aging
I’m feeling pretty useless these days. I try to remember the good ol’ days when I was a dynamo. I once jumped into a cold lake because I thought Mum needed saving while she was zipping around on water skis. I helped herd Mum’s pet ducklings and kept them from waddling too far away. I […]
Oh, Those Summer Nights
“Summer Nights” from Grease loops in my head as I mash a banana and crack open a beer—not to sip, not yet, but to bait moths. According to online sources, moths are drawn to a fermented mix of banana, sugar, and beer. “Summer lovin’ had me a blast…” Olivia Newton-John’s voice plays in my mind […]
Are You Spending Your Time the Way You Truly Want?
I knew I was about to pass out. I stood up and walked from the carpeted floor to the kitchen to call for my husband, who was downstairs. I woke up to shouting. “Amy, what was that noise?” Frank was rushing up the stairs. I had fainted and fallen on the tiled floor. The next […]
The Messy Badger Who Lives in My Writer’s Den
The last time I deep-cleaned and fastidiously organized, I was eight months pregnant—which was forty-four years ago. Because I can’t count on another nesting instinct, it’s time to face the drawers of outdated research notes, defunct electronics, and enough paper clutter to make even a loyal badger leave the state. I need motivation, so I […]
Family Traditions at the Little Cabin: Fireflies, Fawns, and Fourth of July Magic
Forty-eight years ago, my husband and I honeymooned in a rugged log cabin tucked beside a northern Wisconsin lake. It had log walls, one cozy bedroom, a single bathroom, and a quiet magic that made it feel much bigger. We eagerly launched the old fishing boat and explored the pristine waters. Overhead, an eagle soared. […]