Am I Willing?
Driving through central Pennsylvania, I gaze with wonder at the work of Amish families on their farms. Through the warmth and convenience of my car, equipped with music and movies, I watch the dance of their laundry on lines between trees; the long pants kick up in the wind, and the crisp white shirts wave […]
Lesson Three from the Italian Mama (in 100 Words or Less)
I’m frantic about my meatballs. Extended family will dine next week on spaghetti and meatballs the day before Thanksgiving. I can’t remember what to do, and I want to do it right. The Italian Mama advises me that I have choices. I can brown the meatballs in olive oil and then cook them in the […]
You Cannot Contain This
My morning begins by watching children race down the street so the speed limit monitor sign records their speed. I still haven’t had enough coffee to move properly, and these kids are racing. They know how to walk to school with flair. I secretly want to record my own speed. I still might, but I’m […]
The Most Impressive Thanksgiving
Right now I’m launching into my official Thanksgiving preparations. Imagine all the family driving in. Imagine the rooms to arrange, the week of activities to plan, the house to clean, the meals to prepare. There’s a way to go about this with flair. Lately, I’ve been reading and hearing a lot about how to handle […]
When the Competition is You
Last night for Neighborhood Fitness Group, we dance our normal dances and crawl around like wild animals. But then, the children beg for “The Jump Rope Challenge.” Turning jump rope in a basement is a challenge in itself, but we figure out a way to make it work. “The Jump Rope Challenge” isn’t a normal […]
The Detail that Changes Everything
In class today, we read the description of the town of Maycomb in Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird. As we imagine that beautiful Southern drawl, we hear how “ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o’clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum.” That one detail comparing […]
A Clog in My Heart
Yesterday, I’m walking alone in the woods behind my house. Evening in the Pine Forest It’s not a very big forest, but it’s big enough to get lost in. I’m looking up through the pine trees, taking photos and moving forward with a grand plan: I want to see the sun set through the pines, […]
What Your Underwear Drawer Can Show You
I run down the stairs with my purse swinging wildly behind my back and cry out, “I have to take the girls shopping. They need new socks and underwear. I can’t find one thing for them to wear! “ “Are you sure they need more?” my dear husband asks in response. “Yes,” I nod my […]
Where No Pie Belongs
Getting Ready to Teach I’m in my classroom, trying to muster up some flair. And then, I see a student has baked two pies to share with our class. She made an apple pie with a lattice crust and a key lime pie with a graham cracker crust. One student sees the pies and says, […]
More Than Enough
A long time ago, a friend of mine remarked that you can see things more clearly in the late autumn and winter. She said that the contrast of empty, colorless landscapes makes anything vibrant stand out that much more. There’s a focus you gain when you find yourself in stark places. I like that. I […]