My, my this world can look dreary once the trees show their branches and the grass turns as gray as the sky. When the sun is obscured by the clouds, our blue clear lake reflects nothing but gray right back at us. But just when all is gloomy and dreary, these swans fly in. Last [...]
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Developments in my slalom trials were prudently delayed because of that Boa Constrictor that squeezed my back. With the pain now only a slight memory, I was ready to think about the possibility of meeting my slalom goal. All morning, I watched once-a-year-skiers do it all wrong – leaning forward, rather than back. My coaches [...]
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My gardener’s heart has been broken many times, and that is exactly why I love to garden. To clear a space in the dirt, and wash away the losses from failed fruits from years before, is a way to heal. This Jack in the Beanstalk fort is actually my 10th attempt. In the past, my [...]
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I’m always looking for a way to add the scent of essential oils to the air. I found this recipe for Pastilles, or scented stones, and discovered how these little flour balls hold the scent, and are able to scent a room for extended time. So, if I can’t find my home made air freshener, [...]
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We needed something to sit on around our campfire at the lake. For too long, we carried those folding chairs up and down the steps, that were never there when you really need them. The most practical solution was always right in front of us. Trees. Tree stumps from trees damaged by high winds and [...]
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(Is it just me, or is that kid on the right starting to look like Johnny Depp?) The market just wasn’t right for a lemonade stand. So, they did the next best thing. Their first customer took 20 frogs. (You can get a good look at that ear drum… the one that tells you whether [...]
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with my prized beans. You know you’ve reached success when you’re skeptical Father says, “I’m amazed at how well your fort does look after all.” Despite the junkyard trellises, the discarded branches and posts full of Irish Spring Soap. Not only can I say that the fort a success, but the beans are so mighty, [...]
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It was a quiet, intimate, although rushed lunch. What do you serve a child for his last lunch as a kindergartner? Over the last 9.5 months, I have quietly savored these lunches with him, knowing these were my last. Rather than buck tradition, I served him his favorite; chicken noodle soup — hold the noodles [...]
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It became evident this past weekend that perhaps I might have been too zealous in my attempt to clear the clutter, ditch the junky plastic toys and strive for a more peaceful, Zen life. This light bulb moment came when my son pilfered a box of Irish Spring soap from our gardening supplies, and named [...]
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