The month of May is notable for many things, including Mother’s Day, May Day, Cinco de Mayo, and Memorial Day. It also represents when flowers start to bloom where I live: tulips, lilacs, iris, geraniums, columbine, pansies, roses, peonies, bleeding heart, lily of the valley, and the beautiful magnolia blossoms. It’s like a parade of color and heady smells announcing the upcoming season. Is it my imagination, or do people

Is writing a hobby or a career? One probably doesn’t have to worry about monetary value if it’s a hobby. If it’s a career, you need to. Right? Can it be both? Most writers don’t make enough money from their writings to support themselves. For example, they keep a well-paying job, be it a college professor, book editor, or analyst, and write their fabulous novel in their free time. It’s

When I was eleven, I went on a trip with a group of girls around the first weekend in April to an island known for its substantial maple trees. There was still a lot of snow on the ground, and when we got to the rustic lodge, I could smell wood smoke from the big fire pits surrounding the area and from the central fireplace inside the housing. Large plumes

I wrote this poem, Waiting for You, in gratitude. For the beauty of nature that inspires me every day. For the joy of writing. For the remarkable simplicity of loving someone special for a long time. As I wrote in the introduction of my poetry book, Silver Tip, I aspire to choose my words carefully and thoughtfully. Whittle and shape the poem down to its bones. Convey as many meanings

Generally, we feel better when there is more sunlight, which triggers the release of serotonin in the brain, a neurotransmitter associated with a good mood and well-being. Most of us in the Northern Hemisphere are likely embracing this time of year with the coming of spring and the increase of daylight. The return of warmth and blooming flowers, marking the transition from the cold, dark winter to spring. The word

Last September, as we were hiking down a mountain trail in the Pacific Northwest, my husband suddenly stopped and put a finger to his lips, indicating we shouldn’t talk. The underbrush was lush, still verdant green with hints of the autumn color to come –tinges of gold and crimson red. I couldn’t see anything, so I gingerly glided to where he stood. Was it a grouse? No, it wasn’t a

“The grass is greener on the other side” is a common cliché. Others are: “Looking for greener pastures,” “Can’t see the forest through the trees,” and “The grass is greener where it is watered.” Or as in the famous Rolling Stones song, which stresses that we might not get what we want but will probably get what we need.  Psychological studies state that humans often do not feel satisfied or

Most, if not all, of us have made mistakes. Although we know that slipups are necessary building blocks to knowledge, it doesn’t make it any easier. What’s that saying? The harder the lesson, the deeper the learning. Hmmm. I think that’s true. I’ve had many hard lessons. Some are funny, some embarrassing, and some I’d rather forget. One that I’m thinking about today involves the ache in my knees. It’s

According to research, the average person has approximately 12,000 – 60,000 thoughts daily. 80% of thinking is attributed to negative thoughts driven by the fight-or-flight pattern of the brain, and 95% of those thoughts are repetitive. Doesn’t that make the saying about repeating oneself “like a broken record,” “beating the dead horse,” “washing the same dirty laundry,” or “like a parrot” so true? Neuroscientists suggest that because we are caught

What can’t you own but use every day? What can’t you keep but spend frequently? What can you lose and never get back? The answer? Time … This is the last day of 2024. Another year around the sun. How many have you done thus far? Did 2024 pass quickly for you? It did for me, and once again, it made all those clichés so true—time flies, beat the clock,

This time of year, a common practice is gifting, giving something to someone without expecting anything in return. It can be a watercolor drawing of the sunset, a crocheted blanket, a handwritten poem, fixing up the garage, or shoveling snow off a roof. One can also buy just the right gift for their loved ones, from a bicycle for a child, tickets to a concert for a teenager, or the

The coldest temperature ever recorded near where I was born and raised was -73° Fahrenheit in 1935. In those temperatures, frostbite can happen in minutes on any exposed skin. Blood pressure lowers, breathing becomes shallow, and there can be a slight thickening of the blood, which can cause chest pain in some. I’ve not experienced that extreme cold, but I came close. It happened in the winter of my seventh-grade year.

It seems I discovered the healing power of nature (or maybe nature found me) at a very young age. Growing up in a small town in northern Canada, close to Muskeg country, the wilds were out my front door, and whenever the chaos of my home life got too chaotic, I always found refuge walking the small trail down to the lake. There, I’d find a spot and sit for

In the north, November can be a stark month. Gone are the brilliant gold, scarlet leaves of autumn. Gone are the hot, lazy days of summer. Many birds fly south to warmer climates. Some animals slow down by finding shelter and preparing for their long winter nap. Tree buds go dormant. The sun rises in the southeast as the days shorten. The winter constellations become more visible in the early

The fear of dying is quite common, and most people state that the thought of dying is scary, at least to some degree. Some reports indicate women fear death more than men, and others argue younger people fear death over the elderly. It’s not something we talk about at a cocktail party or having coffee with friends. “Oh, hello, nice to see you. Are you afraid of dying?” I doubt