I keep telling myself that I cannot wait for things to slow down in my life so that I can tackle my long list of projects. Life in general feels more complicated, especially since my husband’s death more than 6 years ago, and I seem to have trouble finding a comfortable balance. Of course, winter […]
Somehow the current snowy pattern seems fitting. It always snows around Valentine’s Day. At least it always did when my husband Jim was alive. I remember that because we went to The Birches in Rockwood around Valentine’s weekend — either the weekend before or after if we could. And it always snowed either on the […]
Things that go bump in and around my house elicit a huge response from the canine residents. I appreciate the devotion of my four Brittany dogs to letting me know about anything out of the ordinary. And by “out of the ordinary,” I mean Every. Little. Thing. I should be a nervous wreck from the […]
Sometimes I look around my house and I wish in the most fervent way that something I had left in a certain place had been moved. But not by my Brittany dog Sassy, who loves to steal my belongings and store them in her crate, or try to trade them with me for something she […]
Maine winters are a challenge. They used to be a challenge because of the amount of snow we received. Now they are a challenge because the type of precipitation is unpredictable. Eight inches of snow one day; two inches of rain the next. Ice on the driveway and in the dog fence, which turns […]
Community is an odd thing. Sometimes we have a big hand in creating it. Other times it just forms around us. I am lucky enough to have lots of different communities that give me focus, purpose and support. Some have always been there. A core of family and friends has seen me through lots of […]
When I turned the cold water on at the kitchen faucet weeks ago, I noticed the faucet’s base seemed a little loose. I was putting off investigating the specific reason because, as noted in other columns, I live in an old farmhouse. If you’ve ever had the pleasure, you know that simple projects often are […]
My birth mother was an amazing person. And although she died too young at age 39 when I was still a teenager, she left me many gifts that have made it through life’s storms and helped me along my way. Some were little wisdoms. I got my glass-is-half-full attitude from her, as well as my […]
The woman looking back at me from the mirror near the end of 2016 certainly isn’t the one who was there at the beginning of the year. This woman is more confident, more observant, looks happier, has eyes that occasionally sparkle again and looks forward to whatever the day might bring. This woman is learning […]
I recently made an important discovery about myself. I’ve found my Christmas spirit again. I’ve always been in tune with the religious aspect. I am Christian, and understand the significance of the holiday to my spiritual life. I go to the church services, sing the songs of faith and praise, and feel the specialness of […]
