Putting the World on Notice
As we welcome another New Year, most of us engage in self-reflection.
Two Poems from Bella
Wintertime
I eat a warm starlet cookie arm by arm
and allow each crystallized gram to melt on my palate,
Hands Tell a Story
Our hands are an extension of our invisible souls, the visible markers on the road of life. They are as unique as individual lives and reveal the complexity of ordinariness. From giving to receiving, dirty to bedazzled, folded or fisted, they are indications on our personal highway.
Are you a Collector?
Are you a collector?
I am.
I’m not an art collector, stamp collector, or rare artifact collector. I collect things — groups of things and things I like — that evoke memories or hold special meaning.
Happy New Year
What a year it has been for five women who took a leap of faith and started this blog.
A Visit from St. Nicholas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
Montage of Holiday Memories
To honor the spirit of the holidays, whatever holiday you observe, we, the five writers, have briefly recounted a special Christmas memory. We share them with you to evoke your own special memories.
Christmas Magic
Our family was not a C and E family. No, we were the real deal. We came to church every Sunday, not just on Christmas and Easter. My mother had been a religious education major when she met my dad in college, and his family was descended from a line of Lutheran ministers that could be traced all the way back to Germany and the reformation.
Across the Miles
When your immediate family lives far away, it can be an issue. Do you stay put or move closer to them?
Hidden in the Shadows
What is it about “The Holidays”? They are like a bright light casting shadows on all who have been lost. The rituals and traditions trick us out for a few weeks, then go away and leave us, still lingering in the shadows.
Just Like Her
We watch our granddaughter Addie every Thursday. We look forward to “our” day with her and always try to get outside and walk around the neighborhood when she is with us.
Dressed for the Occasion
Looking back at photos from a few generations ago, it is readily apparent that things were different then. For one, these yesteryear pictures reflect stylish and elegantly dressed individuals. The contrast to the present could not be starker.
An Unwelcome Guest
Unexpected, uninvited, unwelcomed. That’s Charlie. In 2015, he intruded into our family’s life and left three years later. Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Love, Marriage and the Baby Carriage
I was wondering if fewer young adults were getting married and having babies, so I intentionally started to investigate for proof against what I consider a sadness. My first disproof came on a visit to the farmers' market.
The Vernors Ginger Ale Queen
A petite Irish Catholic woman who spent her adult life in Detroit, Michigan, and was the unofficial Queen of Vernors Ginger Ale.
My History as a Reader
As a retired Language Arts teacher, I can’t help but take a nostalgic pause when leaves begin to fall and brand, new boxes of colorful crayons fill the supermarket shelves.
Customer Service
We all appreciate friendly, efficient, and competent customer service. This helping hand can be like insurance or a doctor - you don’t know if it’s good until you need it! Whether on the phone or in person, the assistance can vary, good, bad, or indifferent; our recent experience has proven that ‘local’ is good and ‘corporate’ is not.