The last two summers have been difficult ones for gardening, due to my inadequate planting medium (AKA dirt) and marauding squirrels eating my young plants. Consequently, back in March, I couldn’t bring myself to begin sprouting seeds. But the weather warmed and a tomato plant called my name at the grocery store. It needed aContinue reading “Compost”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
On Masks and Villains
I loved wearing a mask during the shutdown: A chance to not think about what expression my face was wearing. A chance to not display my crooked tooth. In novel writing, villains wear masks of a different kind. The villain or antagonist, generally wants to hide less obvious flaws or desires. The villain of myContinue reading “On Masks and Villains”
More Thoughts About Change
I miss my weekly yoga classes. I attended them for more than twenty years, but during Covid, the studio closed down, they sold the props, they sold the building. Caput! No more yoga classes near home. I’m thinking about exercising self-discipline and practicing at home. But it won’t be the same. In a world undergoingContinue reading “More Thoughts About Change”
Changes
In the space of a week—the first week of spring—we woke to the beautiful results of a gentle snowstorm coating all trees and lawns. But by the end of that week our thermometers reached 82 degrees. It’s very early in the year for Sophie to be too hot—but she is. She has begun refusing herContinue reading “Changes”
In Praise of Play
One time when in the middle of writing a novel, I got stuck. I didn’t know how I was going to proceed. And with a full-time job, I had only a half-hour in the mornings to write. My solution was to put a calligraphy class to use by filling a small notebook with italic handwriting.Continue reading “In Praise of Play”
Covid Excuses
For the first time in two years, I shook hands with someone. And I’ve recently hugged two friends! I’ve stopped putting on a mask when a workman comes to the house, and sometimes even when entering a business. But are we really back to normal? Covid hasn’t gone away yet—or maybe never. These last twoContinue reading “Covid Excuses”
Life as an Introvert
Connections For me, living as an introvert (recently described as an extreme introvert) means my contacts with people are even more—not less—important. I discovered in my librarian days that continual contact with the public was too much, and that no contact was far too little. Which is why, in retirement, I enjoy my peaceful writingContinue reading “Life as an Introvert”
Gardening in this time of COVID
These last several months, I’ve stayed busy with writing, but any time I attempted a blog, I set it aside, unable to complete it. This time I’m going to post! I love growing winter squash, but living in the southwest, I’ve had very few successful seasons since we’re plagued with squash bugs, and they seemContinue reading “Gardening in this time of COVID”
Hurdles
The nippiest day of the year—so far. Sophie resisted going for a walk this morning—she was far too cozy on the couch—so I put her in her jacket and she hopped down. The wind has effectively swept the sidewalks clear of leaves, but Sophie’s first hurdle was leaping the dam in front of the doorContinue reading “Hurdles”
Gotta Keep Learning
Sophie Dog Goes to School. My friend Jane, who keeps Sophie when we’re out of town, thinks Sophie should be a therapy dog. I totally agree. She’s the perfect temperament, friendly, gentle, and soft to the touch. We got home from our family reunion at the same time that Jane was attending the first doggieContinue reading “Gotta Keep Learning”
Kate Harrington 