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My Memory Garden
Do you have a lot of photo albums? I do. In fact, I have 37. Wanting to downsize, I’m going through them and transferring the best photos into a compact, plastic case. The others (forgotten landscapes or duplicates or blurry images) go into one of three piles. 1. See if someone else wants these. 2. […]
Cemetery Stories and Surprises
Several years ago my husband and I visited my elderly relative, Per Moen, in Norway. I expected he’d take us to his home. We had limited time, and Per surprised us by taking us to a cemetery instead. Country and family are important to Per. Although Per spoke English, he said little while he showed […]
The Entertaining, Helpful, and Intelligent Crows in Our Backyards
“Caw, caw, caw.” My backyard crows demand my attention. I imagine you have crows in your area, too. I feed my murder of crows regularly. They enjoy leftovers, sunflower seeds, dog food, and peanuts in the shell. They, in turn, help watch over our property. Many years ago, when I was still raising pet ducks, […]
Hen or Human, Motherhood is the Hardest Job You’ll Ever Love
I’m driving along Highway 16 on my way to Portage when I spot a hen and drake mallard walking across the road. Their waddling movements make me smile. I brake and since traffic is clear, I leisurely watch them. I wonder why they’re choosing to walk instead of fly. Maybe they’re conserving energy for all that parenthood […]
I’m Losing It
I’m losing it. I’ve misplaced an unusual amount of items this month. These have included the usual—cell phone, car keys, and reading glasses. One day I couldn’t find all three of my readers. But I’ve also lost unique items such as a brightly wrapped birthday gift. My daughter bought a pair of earrings for my […]
Find Joy in Today, Take Two
Last year, my husband Frank and I planned a trip of a lifetime—a Rhine River cruise through the Netherlands, Germany, France, and Switzerland. Twenty-four days before the trip, though, Frank ended up in intensive care with a major health crisis. Four days after he was out of the hospital and on the road to recovery, […]
10 Ways You Can Live to Be 100
Hara Hachi Bu. My daughter and her husband, who are both dieticians, taught my grandsons to end their mealtime prayer with this Japanese phrase. Hara Hachi Bu means “eat until you’re 80% full.” According to Dan Buettner, author of “The Blue Zones: Secrets of Living Longer,” it’s one of the top ways we can live […]
Fun Times Celebrating Earth Month
While my daughter, grandson, and husband pier-fished on a Gulf Coast lagoon, the wind swept one of our plastic bait containers into the waves. We felt awful, but it would be dangerous to swim or kayak out to get it, so we agreed to compensate by spending the afternoon picking up litter along a remote […]