The New Year is upon us, and it is steeped in tradition. From Japan to North Carolina, folks have unique ways of celebrating this new beginning that returns each year like clockwork. Here are a few interesting ones that I have come across, but I am certain there are as many traditions as there are […]
Happy New Year…around the World Read More »
For my cousin, Linda, forever open to wonderment December 1, 2023 In December, amidst the lights and twinkling glitter, bopping inflated Santas and Grinches, fluttering flags and brightly lit trees adorning our homes and storefronts—lies the still, quiet heart of the season. Silent night, holy night. The deepest, darkest time of the year (in the
Embracing the Mysteries…of Christmas Read More »
Early morning of November first found me removing all vestiges of Halloween from our outdoor decorations. Down came the witch flag, the cool ghost with his fedora and shades, the arched-back black cat, the tiny ghosts lining the walkway, the little ghost flying from the tree next to the street, the witch windsock, the dangling
A Pause…to give thanks Read More »
“Smoky Mountain Autumn”— photo by K. L. Wood As leaves begin to lose their chlorophyll-green and reveal their true colors, we enter the
True Colors…leaves and people too Read More »
For the fun-in-the-sun of it, my husband planted a row of sunflower seeds along our backyard side-fence. I’ve got to tell you, there’s nothing like watching sunflowers grow for nearly instant gratification! From seeds to nine-foot-tall flowers took only a few summertime weeks. As I watched those beauties grow from seedlings to skyscraping blooms to
Be Like The Sunflower…more lessons from the garden Read More »
As I sweated through a recent session of deadheading my flowers in the midst of this meltingly hot summer, I had a lightbulb moment. Gardening is a perfect metaphor for writing. One can also draw parallels to life, in general (but that’s a blog for another day!) Bear with me, now, as I explain myself.
Seeding, Deadheading, & Weeding…lessons from the garden Read More »
The song, “Carolina Moon”, written in 1924 by Joe Burke and Benny Davis, often floats through my thoughts when I gaze up at a North Carolina moon. I also warmly equate it with my dear mother, born in Swansboro, NC just one year before the song was composed. Legend has it, that it was written
Carolina Moon…keeping shining Read More »
With these months of May and Mother’s Day, and June and Father’s day, I have turned my thoughts to child-rearing. (Sort of…) Kids! Whether they are nine or ninety—what are we going to do with them? They sulk in silence. They sneak off to who-knows-where. They speak some kind of kid-gibberish that we struggle to
Parenting…our protagonists Read More »
Along with spring showers, April brought National Library week, and it put me in mind to ponder libraries and their intrinsic worth. It’s hard to imagine living in a world without public libraries, but truly free (non-fee, non-subscription based, government funded) ones did not exist for American citizens until the first was established in Peterborough,
A Love Note…to libraries Read More »
To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, my husband—with his deep Irish heritage—gave me a lovely shamrock plant that sits on the windowsill above my kitchen sink. I’ve been reminded of something important by that emerald-green plant. More on that later in the post… On March 24 and 25, I volunteered, as I have from its inception,
Open and Shut…the shamrock’s lesson Read More »