Traditions & Memories
On a bleak December day 70 years ago, my grandfather jumped from a ruined B-17, a cold Minnesota farm boy tumbling from the sky into occupied Greece. That image is hard for me to picture because I remember him stooped,…
Category Writing
John’s Kayak
The first time I learned that my husband built boats, I hadn’t yet met him. I was in high school and had just finished reading a fantastic novel. In my curiosity to learn more about the author — I was…
Last Night
To Feel The fuzz from my grandmother’s afghan teasing my chin The heft of my husband’s body, his head upon my chest To Hear The crackling candles with woodchips for wick The silence, deep and thick in its peace To…
Unemployment
Remember
The following is a (slightly edited) essay I wrote in ~2009 for Lutheran Social Services to use for promotion and publication for their in-home elder care programs. It was a sunny, Saturday afternoon and I sat on my grandmother’s couch,…
My Future Child
When I have a son, he’s gonna be just like this… “Litany” by Billy Collins You are the bread and the knife, the crystal goblet and the wine. You are the dew on the morning grass and the burning wheel…
Simple Things
Thank you, God, for… Sweatpants.Cooler weather.Like-minded friends.Non-like-minded friends.Days off from work.McDonald’s snack-wraps that I can pretend are healthy.The two-dollar movie theater in town.The annoying kid in my book group finding mistakes I missed.Old hymns strummed on newly-stringed guitars.Flowers beginning to…