Some Pictures of Hope
The landscape in Pennsylvania, for the most part, still frowns with the weight of winter. Trees raise their arms in surrender to a blank sky. After church this morning, my youngest daughter pulls on a double layer of pants and says, “Mom, let’s go on a hunt for daffodils.” (How can I not follow her […]
Keeping Hope Alive
Yesterday, this little girl (the one who lost her first tooth) brings home a homemade bird feeder. She announces that the bagel was “a rotten one, leftover from her teacher’s kitchen,” and the birdseed and spread cannot be eaten by humans. Noted. We hang the bird feeder on the winterberry bush. And we wait. […]
What Good Is This?
I’m trying new recipes from my 5 Ingredient cookbook, and today I attempt “Ginger Beets.” Ginger Beets I’ve never roasted beets before. I scrub off the dirt, chop off the stems, and roast them for an hour. When cooled, the beets slip right out of their skin. I slice them in quarters, toss them with […]
2 Secrets of the Wandering Albatross
Last night, my daughter wins a book about winged creatures at the school’s Bingo Night. We read all about butterflies, bats, hummingbirds, flying squirrels, bees, and ladybugs. Then, I turn the page and learn about the magnificent Wandering Albatross.I learn that the Wandering Albatross stays in flight for months without landing. I stare, stunned at […]
From Cowardly to Courageous
My little cat, Jack, advances even further in the direction of being fully alive. Once wounded, this now strong kitty first relearns how to purr. Then he figures out how to meow again. Then, he moves past his wounds and chooses to love and serve others. Finally, he begins to master basic feline behaviors like […]
When You Feel Like Burnt Toast
When you burn food, you apparently ruin it by overcooking. Too much time, too much heat, and the thing burns. This morning, I nearly incinerate the bread in the toaster oven as I attempt to make toast for my daughter. I’m not paying attention, and before I know it, the bread loses that delicious browned […]
What We Most Want
Finally, at 6:00 AM, we agree to open presents. This is only after the 2:00 AM squeal alert that presents had arrived under the tree. My living room sparkles with shreds of wrapping paper, bows, and tissue paper. By now, the little girls play happily with their new dolls, and I drink coffee–lots and lots […]
Light in the Darkness
In the hustle and bustle of this Christmas Eve day, I pause to think about my electric candles set in every window of our home. Within the core of these candles, the builder placed a photo sensor that automatically responds when the light grows dim outside. As soon as it’s dark enough, the candles light […]
How You Know You’re Getting Better
Do you remember the story of my one-eyed cat, Jack? We rescued this wounded kitty and brought him into our home. He couldn’t even purr, he was that broken. But we knew his purr was in there somewhere. We brushed him, fed him, bathed him, pet him, and loved and loved and loved him. And […]
Christmas Estuary
Estuary Mouth Yesterday, I read a book that mentions the word estuary. An estuary is the part of a river that nears the sea. In an estuary, salt water and fresh water mix. As one of the most curious habitats, estuaries house creatures that learn how to live in impossible contradiction; they must survive in […]