Daddy & Me In the tenth grade, John Marshall high school held a Father-Daughter dance. After school, I climbed a tall ladder, hung streamers in the lunch room, cut out name tags in the shapes of father and daughter lions, and could hardly wait to dance with my Daddy. Mama taught me the steps and gently encouraged me to let…
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This downy woodpecker’s body language communicated anticipation. He sat there, eager and ready for his turn at the suet lunch counter. When the second the other downy left, he was there. I know there are times when it’s important to wait passively, and I’m not good at it. For so long I believed all waiting (especially when waiting for God)…
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I enjoy taking photos and love it when I get to take good ones and sometimes even near perfect ones. But sometimes perfect – even almost perfect doesn’t happen. When I get ready to go outside, the last thing I do is hang my camera around my neck. That action sets my goal: get great pictures. I feel the determination…
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I admired his tenacity. The feeders were full. On the ground was a fresh and generous scattering of all their favorite treats. I grinned at this bird who decided to eat coneflower seeds, and he was willing to do what it took to get the best of them. He knew I was out there because I spoke to him when…
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Three years ago today, Mama left here for heaven. I wanted to do more to remember her than stand at her grave. I wanted to share her with you. And, on the selfish side, I wanted to write about her because that’s one way I can still honor her. In a couple of days is my birthday. Sixty seems like…
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There was something dry and brittle in my heart – something that didn’t belong. The day was gloomy gray, and so was my spirit. Everything felt heavy, and tears flowed with no warning. My whole body felt weary and wounded. My jaw ached from the constant clenching and my shoulders from hunching. And my head hurt the way it does…
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“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson As fall races towards winter, I’ve wandered and pondered a little more often. I take deep breaths of the fall air, and I feel a twinge. Winter isn’t far away – I can hear it in the howl of the wind and…
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“Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” Billy Graham The wildflower fields are brown except for a few fading blossoms. Stopping to enjoy them, they seemed brave to me. I know they are just flowers, but wandering in their midst the last few chilly days, they quietly delighted me. I…
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All summer the yellow coneflowers held my attention more than other years. At first, I thought it was their hope-filled color, but something told me there was more. And in my mind, I heard a specific song when I contemplated the coming lesson. In a whimsical mood one day, I said to no one in particular, “They remind me of…
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Author’s Note: Although some might hear my voice in this post as loud, it’s a whispering post. The “discussions” I’ve read and listened to lately and a few I’ve participated in leave me wondering, “What in the world happened to common courtesy and respect?” And it’s not just from one segment of our world. The shouting and disrespect come from…
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A couple of weeks ago, I was in a mood. The kind where the only way out of it was lots of coffee, a long walk, and finally a nap. So, I headed outside with a full Thermos of the caffeinated stuff and my camera just in case I saw something worthwhile. Yeah – it was that bad. It was…
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