Written with my Tuesday group with the prompt: traditions that become oppressive! Long ago, in the pagan cultures of the far north, work and travel were severely limited by cold and snow as days grew shorter. Farmers and their families would remove a wheel from their carts as a sign of surrender to the great … Continue reading Meditation on an Advent Wreath
One day, before our writing practice, most everyone in the writing circle professed ignorance of the modern tradition called “The Elf on the Shelf.” Although I am no expert either, I found myself compelled to write the following. The elf appears mysteriously on a shelf in homes where parents deign to invite him in. “This … Continue reading The Elf on the Ledge (copyright pending)
Every year on Pearl Harbor Day, I like to tell the story of my late mother, who was picking oranges with her best friend on December 7th, 1941, when they got the news that the Japanese had bombed the US Naval Base in Hawaii. Every year after, she picked the first orange of the season … Continue reading Juicy
I wrote this a year ago when my cats were just babies. They’re much more disciplined now—ha! I was sitting on the toilet a half hour ago, getting a clear view of the leather belt I slipped through my denim belt loops this morning, and I noticed it—kitten teeth marks on the end of my … Continue reading Kittens for Christmas
Knowing she was sad, eleven crows arrived with gifts: delicate feathers chips of quartz and granite, short lengths of red and yellow yarn, crumpled bits of paper all colorful, some shiny with beef tallow others sticky and vanilla-scented. How did they know? she wondered as they littered her winter green lawn with their offerings, creating a mosaic as vibrant as a Van Gogh night … Continue reading Knowing she was sad, eleven crows
Written with my Thursday night group with a list of prompts that sounded like a grocery list! Janet perused the grocery list her father had handed her as she headed out the door. Her father was not as organized as her mother and he never would be. Janet simply needed to accept that. I mean, … Continue reading The Grocery List
My home town Sacramento has been in the news more often than usual lately. We received a lot of positive press when Greta Gerwig started filming her movies right here in our front yards. The Oscar-nominated Ladybird, and her earlier work Frances Ha, both included scenes filmed right down the street from where I live! … Continue reading Say His Name
I have not been the most consistent blogger in the world. If there’s anyone out there paying attention this is not such a big surprise. My last post was over a year ago. In that episode, I announced that my poor old sweet-faced kitty Angel was dying of cancer. I got all philosophical and weepy … Continue reading Greetings Blogosphere!
On December 7th, 1941, my mother was at her friend Louise’s house. They were picking the first oranges of the season when Louise’s mother came out to the yard to tell them the news that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. Every year after, my mother commemorated the date by picking, and then eating, … Continue reading My Mother’s Orange Tree
After a week where the temperature topped 105 degrees each day with little cooling at night, we are all so grateful to welcome back the Delta Breeze, the delightful wind that courses up from San Francisco Bay along the Sacramento River to grace our valley with a natural air conditioner on blessed summer evenings. I … Continue reading Delta Breeze
