The brain-stormers gathered in Coeur d’Alene again this year, and I’ve no doubt half a dozen books will come forth over the next twelve months and beyond. One of our gals (Gayle DeSalles) did a devotional. I always have my pen handy because I know she will dive deep and bring up thoughts and questions …
Not too long ago, our daughter informed us that our s-i-l had found a dream-job opportunity that would make him a very happy man. Surprise! The job is in another state. Eighteen months ago, our daughter helped find our new home — within five-minutes of she and her family. We’ve been spoiled to have them …
Based on Matthew 14:22-33 The oars plunged back into the water, rowers silent as they strained against the unrelenting wind. Despite their effort, the boat seemed to stand still in the midst of the churning sea. Those without an oar bailed water as it sloshed over the sides of the boat, trying not to notice …
I love watching biographies, and the story of Hedy Lamarr caught my attention. My father and father-in-law both thought Hedy Lamarr was “the cat’s meow”. She was a beautiful woman, an actress who left Nazi-occupied Austria and came to America. She was under the old star-system, a form of bondage. Sadly, very few saw past …
An electrician came to do some work in our home and said he’d just gotten back from Sacramento where he and his pastor had gone to speak against AB2943, a bill that will make sexual orientation reparative therapy illegal – even if requested. They were concerned that the bill was an attempt to move toward …
There are some days when the irony of the news astounds me. Headline: 40 Arrested at Petaluma Farm. Why? For protesting the treatment of chickens. They had trespassed on the property and were rescuing chickens. There was a picture of several people in handcuffs. Great front page story! Though I’m all for being proper stewards …
I’m taking some time off and going through family memorabilia that has been gathering dust far too long. Letters, pictures, diaries – boxes of them. I’ve found some surprises along the way. My paternal grandmother won a prize for an essay she wrote for a sugar beet company. She liked poetry. This is precious to …
Scent brings back memories. Hot sand and vineyards take me back to the weeks each summer I spent with my Grandma Wulff on her Livingston ranch. The verdant vines and almond orchard were places of adventure. I remember the feel of hot sand between my toes and racing to the irrigation ditch for a cool …
Whenever man tries to fix something in nature, he messes things up. That Kudzu vine in Japan is beautiful, isn’t it? Why not bring some home for landscaping southern gardens? (Now called “the vine that ate the South”) Ohh, I’d love to have one of those Burmese pythons in a terrarium! Wowza, that thing is …
A friend contacted me recently over a challenge she’d received from a hostess for an upcoming baby shower. A questionnaire had been sent for her to fill out and returned as a gift for the coming child. The papers would be placed in a box to be opened when the child became a young adult. She …