Since the weather started to warm up my thoughts have turned to my garden. I have to admit I’m not much for flowers. With the deer that come up on my front yard after dark, there’s no point planting anything in the front yard that the deer like. There are some plants they don’t like: bleeding hearts, daffodils, lavender, and others. I found a list of them on a website. Continue reading
Used with permission from freedigitalphotos.net
Last month a larger and more enthusiastic book group met at my local library. The two person book group had grown with the addition of most of the knit group and a few others into a fourteen person group with standing room only. We read “All the Light We Cannot See.” For anyone who hasn’t yet read it, I highly recommend it. Yes, it’s about Nazi Germany, but it’s also about the strength of the human spirit and relationships and the will to survive. The book is redolent with metaphors, starting and ending with the title. The hero is a blind French girl. The story mostly takes place when the Germans are occupying France and imposing their brutal will on the population. Not much light, eh? Yet, the book is full of hope. The young French girl, Marie-Laure shows everyone around her that she sees everything, even without eyesight. Continue reading
A few days ago this little bird started tapping on the front door. It tap tap taps and then flies up and tries to throw itself at the window. I closed the front door, and still it attempts to get in. I think it sees itself in the reflection. Today I saw him (or her) again, puffing up his chest as if to impress his supposed reflection. Continue reading
The pond in front of our house is a big draw for local birds. We have a lot of trees, especially around the pond. Since the weather got warmer it has been a virtual menagerie of wildlife. Not only have a pair of mallard ducks made the pond their second home, but other birds enjoy it as well. This cardinal and her mate come regularly. The male likes to sit in the tree. I haven’t been able to get him to stay there long enough for a photo, but I’ll keep trying. Continue reading
The temperatures hit 80 today in southeastern Pennsylvania. Barkley stood at the door this afternoon and barked and barked and barked. What’s going on? I went to the door and saw this bird sitting in the grass by the side of the pond. Is she nesting? Five minutes later she flew away. Continue reading
Official portrait, wikipedia
I thought I would end my three days of quotes by skipping ahead two hundred years to the 21st century and our current First Lady.
As a reminder to those who may have joined today, I have been doing a three day quote challenge. I want to thank Laura at Laura Bruno Lilly: The Journey Continues for nominating me. Continue reading
 Picture from wikipedia article, in the public domain.
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Yesterday I started the three quotes in three days challenge. Today I’m going back two centuries to post a quote from First Lady Abigail Adams. Continue reading
Eleanor Roosevelt’s home Val-Kill in Hyde Park, New York
A few days ago I was nominated for the Three Quotes/Three Days challenge. I accepted this challenge because I love the idea of taking a step back from blogging and doing something different. I hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as I enjoy writing them. Continue reading
Sunset at the Grand Canyon, AZ
Well, I suppose mid-February is a good a time as any to post my holiday (yes, those holidays) guest blog post. After months of subtle reminders from Marla dropped over texts, calls, emails, cards, e-cards, in-person reminders, and carrier pigeons (well, almost)… here it goes! Commence guest blog now! Continue reading
Some of you may have noticed that the frequency of my posts has diminished lately. I was thinking about that yesterday and wondering why I wasn’t motivated to sit down and write. Then it hit me. I am smack dab in the middle of winter. Half is behind me, and half is ahead of me. Unfortunately, the better half has passed: the holidays, the New Year, two three-day weekends, and the anticipation of the first snow. The rest is just dreary, slushy, dirty, and monotonous waiting. I am in the midst of the winter doldrums. Continue reading
Explorations In Place 