Cumin behind coriander, dill in front of fennel, allspice in the driver’s seat. In March of this year, I sat in the chair of the salon I frequent for cut and color. My hairdresser and I nervously laughed, discussing how we felt like the world was closing as our country and state began shifting for… Read More spices and snow globes
Many years ago, my daughters decided we should have a Thanksgiving tree, a place where we could visibly see our gratitude for the season. Sticks were collected outside, necessary art materials were assembled, leaf stencils were quickly printed, and the tradition began. The Thanksgiving tree doesn’t require the fuss that our Christmas tree will. There… Read More with thanks
On this day of hearts, so many of us feel layered emotions. I remember the years of this day in my childhood: boxes colored in anticipation of paper valentines, a boy in the 4th grade who gave me the most beautiful handmade valentine I have ever received, tears of heartbreak, and sounds of joy. It’s… Read More hearts and hearts and hearts
There are people who dance outside to beckon rain, so join me in making stew to beckon fall. I’m ready for warm drinks and a blanket over my lap, but today it is a balmy 95 degrees in North Carolina. We’ll call it Jultober! Still, next week’s forecast looks promising. The light shift inside my… Read More vegetarian sweet potato stew
The calendar gives us bookmarks for memories, dates which become part of the rhythm of our lives, weaving into what was before and what is to come. August 3rd is one of those dates for me. I am grateful for the brain surgery that saved my life three years ago and the path that led… Read More three years
I woke up this morning thinking about The Little Engine that Could, my spirit tangled with breath and prayer and not quite enough sleep. Giving my heart a few minutes to weave the language of the morning, I found myself hoping for time to remind both of my children that they are loved before they… Read More just as you are
This was the first year in what felt like a century that I did not have to purchase valentines or help in the creation of valentines for either of my daughters’ classes at school. It felt a bit like winning a mini lottery, though I did have to remind myself why it felt like I… Read More love letter
Do you recall a time you opened a brand new box of crayons? Sharpened points all in a row, a box gives you a choice of 12, 24, 64, or 120 brand new colors and endless possibilities. As a child, if I I was already in the middle of a project, I would pick up… Read More new box of crayons
The stockings are barely hung in the house before my youngest daughter starts creating things to place inside each one. Casually walking by the fireplace on any day, she’ll gently squeeze the bottom of a stocking so the rest of us can hear the crinkling of paper inside, a creation she has made for one… Read More what shines
Four days without power and some interesting things start to happen. My body started listening to the cycle of the sun and the moon. Without artificial light in the house, I began to get tired when the sun went down and woke rested with the sun’s return. Laughter was our very best medicine, as someone… Read More noticing and an invitation
