#SoCS: Hot and Dry

The photo above is one of Little Lake Butte des Morts on June 16th. Another day without rain, but a perfect summer day. The above-normal heat of June had subsided, but the slime green is a telltale sign of how our weather has been. The lake thinks it’s August, the dog days of summer, not the waning days of spring. Too many hot hours in the upper 80’s and low 90’s F (30-34C), without rain, have lowered water levels, madeRead more

#SoCS: I Drive to this Place

I drive to the forest I hide in the forest Breathing in cool air I know in this place It is a safe space For a grumbly soul to bare I ride past a thousand trees The blue of lake’s seas And give two legs a dare Twists and turns abound Up and down without sound In sync with a gravelly stare I drive because I must The heat at home an angry bust The heart finds its weather loveRead more

#SoCS: A Yarn Too Far

Dad was good at telling long, detailed yarns about anything. Trips he and mom took. What they ate at every meal during their trips. The relatives they would visit. Their conversations. All of them. The people I didn’t know that they would visit. Stories from his days as a grocery store manager. I remember mom getting a look of frustration on her face on several occasions and then saying, “She doesn’t know who you’re talking about. Finish your story!” IRead more

#SoCS: The Eyes Don’t Have It

I have worn eyeglasses since second grade. I remember sitting in the front row of the classroom and squinting because I couldn’t see the blackboard. I assume the teacher told my parents about my troubles and that was the beginning of a lifetime accessory. Being near-sighted, especially in the right eye, has its challenges. I can read without glasses, but take them off and I can’t see the color of a friend’s eyes when a few feet away. When attendingRead more

#SoCS: Undone

Who am I that I breathe and live upright? Under constellation of blazing stars Staring at the morning’s first rays of light Living in a world filled with mixed bizarre Who am I to be counted in the fold One of his sheep that grazes over time A child from a rib, neither young nor old Waiting for forgiveness of one’s own grime Who am I standing here in pondered pause Faith borne of hope in a fragile abode WhileRead more

SoCS: I Don’t Run

Earlier this year, I came across a Facebook post of a very fit celebrity who stated something like, “I went out for a run today and unintentionally ran a half marathon.“ Huh? Well, boy-oh-boy, that made me feel a whole lot better about my exercise regimen and physical strength. Actually, I admire people who run for exercise or compete in 10K’s, half or full marathons. It takes a certain mindset, a focused determination, to train for a race or beRead more

#SoCS: Calculating Distance

Calculating… “What did you say, Gibbs?” Just thinking and calculating the distance between me and the bird sitting on the windowsill. “Where did you learn such a big word?” Dan’s cat Mimi. She said her owner is into calculating something called math. “Yes, I know about Dan and his math abilities, but how long have you and Mimi been talking to one another? And exactly what allows you to do this? Having you been emailing back and forth? Using myRead more

#SoCS: The Days, Weeks, Month, Year of Unbelievable.

I distinctly remember the day that I packed up a laptop, numerous files, office supplies, and anything else I could think of in a rush of adrenaline. It was March 24, 2020, and I had been told I would be working from home until further notice. The offices were closing to the public and minimal staffing across our department had to be scheduled and organized. Covid-19 was on the move across America. For at least three weeks prior, we hadRead more

#SoCS: Cleaning the Sty

Recently, Gibbs had few “sneezy” days and he lost his lunch a couple of times. Perhaps that’s normal, once-in-awhile cat behavior or perhaps it’s a sign of illness. In this case, my current supposition is that Gibbs was surrounded by too much dust and cat hair. It was evident when I started deep cleaning the bedroom and bathroom sty last weekend. Most often, I try to clean these spaces every two weeks, but this time it was three. I hadRead more

Above and Below What’s Lost

February 15th marks the two year anniversary of when I lost my mother at the age of 99-1/2. While I miss this dear woman, I am relieved and grateful that she is not sitting alone in a nursing home, without her daughter’s visits, while a pandemic rages on. Heaven above is where she belongs and earth below is where I must live and breathe and keep moving. I can plainly see Your smile from above The peace you must feelRead more

#SoCS: I Have Questions

In the end, it’s not about how much we do, but how we do it. I’m not stating anything new or profound. Mother Teresa said, “It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing.” My beginning as a blogger started in March of 2013. It’s difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that I’ve been dazzling and/or boring you with the written word for almost eight years. Lucky you. ItRead more

#SoCS: I Need a Cape

First thing, right off the bat, I need sun. More sun. In the past three weeks, it’s been mighty scarce. I think we had one day where it came out for about 20 minutes and another day this week when it would filter itself behind a cloud, shine bright for a few minutes, then go back under the clouds. This may be the reason why I feel a bit lethargic of late. If it were not for the pandemic, NatashaRead more