littleseedsread

Spring in Full Swing

Here in Illinois, tulips and daffodils are poking their way through the soil. Once again, our weeks are filled with the typical gamut of weather experiences – frost in the mornings, rainy days, high winds, and temperatures that fluctuate between 23 and 80 degrees. One of my favorite parts of this transitional time between seasonsContinue reading “Spring in Full Swing”

Growth Experiences

It happens every February here in the Midwest. There will be days and days of endless cold and grey and heavy snowfall. Then, our lives are suddenly graced by a couple of bright sunny days with temperatures in the 60s. I’m thrilled by this brief visit of Spring, who is trying her best to re-enterContinue reading “Growth Experiences”

Snow Days – Slow Days

I’m the type of person who keeps busy and fills my days with many activities. So much so that when I’m all caught up on projects, I feel lost and even guilty that I’m not doing something “productive.” My husband often shakes his head at me and tells me I need to learn to slowContinue reading “Snow Days – Slow Days”

It’s That Time Again

It’s hard to believe we are smack in the middle of December already. Where does the time go? One event that many kidlit authors look forward to this month is author Susanna Leonard Hill’s annual Holiday Writing Contest. What makes Hill’s contest so much fun, and challenging is that each year we are given aContinue reading “It’s That Time Again”

Practicing Grace

I live in a small town where homelessness isn’t always visible. But in the last month, I’ve noticed a homeless man who sits in various places around town. I first spotted him on a cold, rainy Saturday morning while driving to my pottery class. He was crossing an intersection I was turning onto, and IContinue reading “Practicing Grace”

Hooray for Halloween!

I don’t know what it is about being an adult and enjoying the holidays and seasons more. Perhaps it’s because as you grow older, the faster the years seem to go, and the sweeter the memories of the past become. For instance, I know I am not the only adult who enjoys Halloween. When IContinue reading “Hooray for Halloween!”

Thinking Outside and Inside the Box

As summer draws to a close, I can’t help but remember long-ago summer days of discovery and play during my childhood. One of the things that made summers so special was how my Dad always invented things to keep us kids from driving Mom crazy. Three children under ten were undoubtedly a handful for her,Continue reading “Thinking Outside and Inside the Box”

Bygone Butterflies

In the 1960s, one of my favorite summertime activities was catching and observing insects. I had a little net and a “bug jar” that I’d place insects in for study. My bug jars were usually mason jars with nail holes hammered into the lids to create air holes for whatever I caught. I’d prepare theContinue reading “Bygone Butterflies”

Neighborly Ways

I was fortunate to grow up in a neighborhood of loving and caring people. Daily interactions with them were the norm, and each of our neighbors felt like an extension of my family. For as long as I can remember, there was never a creepy or shifty individual on the street. One of the reasonsContinue reading “Neighborly Ways”

Chasing Wonder

My husband and I did a big bucket-list thing a few weeks ago. We went on a hot-air balloon ride. Though we both had wanted to do this for many years, when it got to the day before the trip, I found I’d become a basket case of anxiety, googling on the computer to seeContinue reading “Chasing Wonder”