National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day isn’t until August 8, but we were hit on July 15 this year. That was the day my husband brought home a box of zucchini from one of his activities. Apparently, he hadn’t said “no” as loudly as the other guys in the group, so his …
Heads Up: National Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor’s Porch Day is coming soon! Read More »
Now that June is almost over, schools across the nation are out, and kids everywhere are enjoying their summer vacations. Or are they? It seems to me that children don’t have as much summer freedom as past generations had. They may have the world at their fingertips through the internet, but they don’t know their …
Here’s an excerpt from my latest novel, When Heart Shall Fail, describing the Fourth of July as experienced by one of my protagonists. Faith spent a quiet Fourth of July at home with Beulah and Mrs. Caraway. Lyman had left on another mission trip two days earlier. “I have tent revival meetings scheduled. Everyone will …
Summer Heat in Frontier Oregon: WHEN HEART SHALL FAIL Read More »
Father’s Day is coming up, and in honor of the occasion, here is one of my favorite stories about my husband’s role as father: Our son was about four or five. I know it was after our daughter was born, but before she could communicate well herself. So it was in about 1986 or ’87. …
On one of the spring vacations my family took, we were in a gift shop full of tchotchkes. Neither my husband nor I am fond of tchotchkes, and I was ready to move on. Nothing in the store looked interesting to me. But our children wanted to browse, to find some small mementoes to take home from …
The day before Easter I finished the pies and sweet potatoes by noon; two cherry, one apple, one key lime, one pecan, and one pecan black bottom. Then the only thing to do on Sunday was to make mashed potatoes, heat the ham, and make rolls and relish dishes. Other guests brought the rest. Hope …
Now that I am a grandmother, I have been recalling times I spent with my grandmothers. My maternal grandmother began teaching me to sew when I was quite young. I was probably still in preschool when we began my sewing lessons. My grandmother had kept an old doll of my mother’s, and when I visited, …
I recently returned from a trip to Seattle. I’ve been in Seattle in February before, and I noticed on those trips that spring seems to come to that area sooner than to Kansas City, even though Seattle is farther north. It must be because the temperatures are less extreme and there is more moisture. This …
Hi everyone! Darlene here. In 2010, I wasn’t an avid “Parks and Rec” viewer, so it took a couple of years for me to catch up and learn about “Galentine’s Day.” It’s a day to celebrate the women in your life – especially the friends who laugh, cry and travel this journey called life with …
There is no better place in the world for pastries — and that’s in France! My husband ate the WHOLE thing!