When I was a child, my brothers and I had plenty of lovely toys to play with, yet we weren’t overwhelmed by too many playthings. What we had was beloved and became well-worn. But just as much as we loved our toys, we loved natural things that we used in outdoor play and perhaps usedContinue reading “Sticks, Stones, Dirt, and Bones Are All the Things You Need”
Category Archives: Blog
In Praise of Childlike Abandon
Last weekend I had the great pleasure of going on a 3 day getaway to St. Louis, MO, with my daughter and granddaughter. We only live a couple of hours from St. Louis, and the city has much to offer in the way of museums, shopping, art, and history. We got to visit St. LouisContinue reading “In Praise of Childlike Abandon”
Grandma’s Gifts
This week my book review (under Recommended Reads) is When Grandma Gives You a Lemon Tree by Jamie L.B. Deenihan. I really loved this book, which got me thinking about my own grandmothers and what they gave me. While I received many material gifts from them that I enjoyed throughout my time with them, itContinue reading “Grandma’s Gifts”
Sacred Seconds
Well, it’s official. School is out. And at our house, that means our precious granddaughter, Jaycie, comes to stay for her first week of summer vacation. We really live for this time because there are so few opportunities for her to stay over during the school year. While she only lives an hour away, itContinue reading “Sacred Seconds”
No Place Like Home
A little over a year ago, my husband and I left our sweet little country home to move to the city of Macomb, IL. While it has been quite an adjustment moving from a wide-open space and constant companionship with wildlife, we are adapting reasonably well to our new house and urban environment. We areContinue reading “No Place Like Home”
The Magic Hour
For as long as I can remember, I have been an early morning riser. I’m not sure what makes a person wake early. Neither my husband nor daughter are morning people. Both tend to come more alive at night and have no problem sleeping late into the mornings with the sun blazing through the windowsContinue reading “The Magic Hour”
A World of Watchers
Every once in a while, Facebook likes to remind me of posts I’ve made in the past. The other day, I received a notice of a post I’d made four years ago when I caught a juvenile Six-lined Racerunner (a type of lizard) while weeding in my garden. The photo made me smile. So manyContinue reading “A World of Watchers”
May Day Memories
When I was a little girl, one of my favorite things about spring was May Day. It was a sweet and quiet event, celebrated at school and by just a handful of children on our block. My mother explained it only as a celebration of spring and a way to let people know we caredContinue reading “May Day Memories”
Space Invaders (Part 2)
Well, our little raccoon friend is gone. As I reported last week, we made a call to an animal control specialist who showed up the next day and set some traps. We caught her the first night, and the following day she was relocated. I had gotten up early the morning after we baited theContinue reading “Space Invaders (Part 2)”
Space Invaders (Part 1)
A discovery was made yesterday. I went to my garage searching for a flower pot and heard someone walking and bumping around in my garage attic. I froze. Seconds later, I heard familiar squeaks, chirps, and growls. Though I hadn’t listened to these sounds for a very long time, I immediately recognized I was listeningContinue reading “Space Invaders (Part 1)”
Little Seeds Read 