Category: Blog Posts
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An Icy Day with the Past
Harsh weather has been the theme throughout most of the United States this past week. When my husband and I woke up early, the world outside our house slowly began to turn to solid ice. The soft rain that woke us that morning transformed into the sound of thousands of small marbles hitting our metal…
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The Spider Dance
I don’t mind spiders; they seem to keep to themselves among the trees and plants. However, when spiders are near my house, I don’t appreciate them as much. Sometimes, we get one that makes a web on the top edge of the back door late in the season. When this happens, I’m always worried I…
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Anne Frank’s Diary
The first time I read “The Diary of Anne Frank,” I was in 7th grade. I don’t remember why I read it; we didn’t talk about it in school, and no one ever read it to me. I didn’t recall many details about it except that a Jewish girl, who was about my age then,…
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Appreciating Autumn’s Abundance
The seasons of spring and summer are times of abundance. We plant seeds, water the soil, and watch for the first signs of life to peek through the ground. As weeks go on, we carefully monitor the progress of each plant so we don’t miss any of the tender carrots or plump pea pods they…
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Spring Camas
About twenty-five years ago, our family moved from a dry climate in the west to a small rainy town in the Pacific Northwest. Since it was so different from where we’d moved from, there were countless new things to observe and experience. A unique sight that caught my attention the first spring was a field…
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Dark Winter Months
We are in the middle of the long, dark months of winter. It is a time when some people struggle to keep focused and relaxed as they wait for spring flowers to bloom. There are many suggestions about how to get through these months by making them cozy, thoughtful, and deliberate. A quick internet search…
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A Few of my Favorite Things
The world we live in can be a crowded, uncomfortable, and stressful place to be. However, I think most areas have a portion of good to balance out these less favorable qualities. I happen to live in a beautiful place that includes a few of my favorite things – things that don’t exist in much…
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Unspeakable Grief
When I was in grade school, we used to have earthquake drills. The office would sound an alarm, and our teacher would tell us to crawl under our desks so we could practice in case there was an actual earthquake. I remember sitting under my desk, wondering how my simple wooden desk, filled with pencils…
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Time Travel
One of my favorite quotes about history comes from the author, David McCullough. He gives this bold challenge: Because you were born into this particular era doesn’t mean it has to be the limit of your experience. Move about in time, go places. Why restrict your circle of acquaintances to only those who occupy the…
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To Mask or Not to Mask
We have received recommendations in our state that mask mandates will soon be lifted – again. I have mixed feelings. I am a teacher and have spent my days directing discussions, talking, and encouraging, all while wearing a mask day after day. When students first returned from distance learning this past year, speaking with a…