I love summer, even when it’s long and hot with drought conditions. People worry. God tells His people not to fear 365 times in the Bible. Yet, we still do. Sometimes I think we’re wired to worry. If we don’t have something to worry about, we worry about that. Worry is like insurance: very expensive, …
Not far from us is the largest freshwater lake in California – Clear Lake. Rick’s dad used to fish there years ago. He once accidentally knocked a lantern from the side of the boat into the water. He could see everything as the light sank to the bottom. Now the lake is choked by toxic …
Enrique guided Raul and I through the job of pruning back in January 2021. With fifty years of experience working for well-known vintners, he worked quickly, slowing down only to explain what he was doing. We followed his instructions. The cutting away of poorly trained cordons seemed brutal, tying down new shoots a lesson in …
Back in 1999, I wrote a novella, Unveiled, about Tamar, the daughter-in-law of Judah from whose family line the promised Messiah would come. This young woman was abused by her first husband (whom God struck down), given in levirate marriage to his brother who used her for sex while denying her the chance to conceive …
A friend sent me a list of funny sayings the other day and several reflected my feelings of late. Here’s one: Now that I’ve lived during a pandemic, I understand why most Renaissance paintings are of chubby women laying around without a bra. Just to be clear, I do NOT recline naked on my sofa. …
The grapes are turning purple and nearing harvest. Every few days I’m out among the vines with my refractometer, checking out the sugar content. But I’m not the only one tasting grapes. A flock of turkeys shows up early in the morning and around dusk. Sadly, scare tape and whirligigs are of no use against …
A friend shared a story of buying a nice used car and being pulled over by the police several times. She wasn’t speeding. All her lights were in working order. They pulled her over because the previous owner was a well-known, documented drug dealer. Or course, once they realized the new owner had no history …
Apparently, there are times when dogs don’t get along any better on a play date than some people. Even though monitored by a human alpha, another canine took a chunk out of the back of Ranger’s ear, as well as punching holes all the way through. My dog now has one side of his head …
Sometimes it’s there, nibbling below the surface, causing rumbling and grumbling. The enemy just loves to fan anger, and I admit it. I get mad. And in some cases, I want to get even. This guy bursts out and makes himself known, and I figure it’s my right to do the same thing. I can’t …
I’ve never been comfortable in front of a camera. In the early years of my career, I needed promo shots and went to a studio. I’d do the best I could with my hair and make-up and wear something other than my habitual jeans and sweater. The shots were staged with the usual background, poses …