#SoCS: Empty and Whole

The last thing I emptied was a small portion of me A memory A word A thought That escaped I can’t remember Where I was going What I was doing Or thinking Perhaps I was headed to the closet for a roll of toilet paper, but passed it by and grabbed a cup of tea instead Perhaps I was supposed to be somewhere else I can remember words like discombobulate and facetious, but blank-stare over the simple one that hangsRead more

#SoCS: I Met the Enemy

March 1, 2023 The enemy began its assault. It was met head on, but the dark horseman stood its ground and moved to intercept the army of immunity. Covid had a job to do and it would not accept defeat without a fight. An eight day fight. And so… My luck ran out. Almost four years without a cold, the flu or any indication of a virus lurking around the corner, Covid finally caught up with me and threw meRead more

#SoCS: Profound and Pink

She steps out into the morning sun, a growing child of five, taking in the warmth of spring and new beginnings. The child heads to her love, a pink bike that sits in the corner of the yard, the one thing that brings adventure to her life as the tires spin across the grass and gravel. The sun beckons her down the block, across the cracks of sidewalk cement and slowly, across decades, she ages into her real self, theRead more

Food, Family, Friends and Fellowship

My brother called last Thursday morning to wish me a happy Thanksgiving and inquire if I had plans. More on the plans in a few paragraphs, but we somehow got on the subject of foods eaten during our childhood. The not-good-for-us foods. My brother didn’t remember the Velveeta macaroni and cheese mom and dad made from scratch during lent and his better half bellowed a big “Ewww” when I recounted how dad made fried-in-butter bologna sandwiches on Wonder cardboard whiteRead more

#SoCS: The Ring that Takes us Back

Ring, circle, loop, wheel… I’m not sure what it is about the coming of autumn. Memories ring and hang in the air. I have been drawn to the home of my youth on a number of occasions, but autumn always takes me back to the lake. Shadow Lake. Where I used to spend many summer days, tanning with the Coppertone lotion that may have had a sunblock of 5 or a sunburn of 5. I didn’t sunburn as a child,Read more

#SoCS – Filling Frames

“The key to happiness is not to get more, but to enjoy what we have and to fill the empty frame of our lives instead of enlarging it.” ~Albert Szent Gyorgyi~ I like this – a reminder that I have plenty to work with inside my own frame and don’t need to turn an 8×10″ into 20×24. Friday reminded me that I have special people who make up part of my life’s photograph…spending the morning with a friend who IRead more

SoCS: All Over the Place

Ubiquitous: Everywhere. In mind and body, this summer has been packed with places to go and things to do. I feel as if I’ve been all over the place the past eight or nine weeks. In other words…everywhere. Vacation, meet-ups with friends, appointments, keeping a kitten occupied, a music festival, watering flowers, walking at night with the neighbors, and volunteering for a week-long arts camp for kids through the church I attend. In between laundry, house cleaning, grocery shopping, etc.Read more

SoCS: How Ya Doin’?

How many times have you asked that question of family and friends? A hundred? A thousand? Too many times to count? When we don’t stay in touch with our people on a regular basis, it’s a fairly common first question to ask. Right? So, how are you doing my fellow blogging peeps? I’ve been a tad busy the last couple of weeks, which means I haven’t published a post or been reading many of your posts. I apologize. I’m notRead more

Are you Annoyed?

“We need to give serious consideration to the fragility of democracy and less to our annoyances (like gas prices and masks).” ~Pam, on Facebook~ I don’t know who Pam is, but she put into words what I have been feeling long before Russia invaded Ukraine. As citizens who live in democracies with many freedoms and opportunities, we sure do whine a lot about our inconveniences. About masks and vaccines; rising gas prices; the cost of living; the lack of customerRead more

Christmas and the Gift

“And when we give each other Christmas gifts in His name, let us remember that He has given us the sun and the moon and the stars, and the earth with its forests and mountains and oceans–and all that lives and move upon them. He has given us all green things and everything that blossoms and bears fruit and all that we quarrel about and all that we have misused–and to save us from our foolishness, from all our sins,Read more

Blessings and Boxing Day

“Hey buddy, what are you doing?” “What do you mean what am I doing?” Can’t you see I’m requesting a belly rub through trust and the lure of cuteness.” “Well, you certainly are adorable, Gibbs. A lover, not a fighter.” “I don’t fight, I play. And sleep. And kindly request food. And let you loudly know when I left something in the litter box.” “Yeah, that last one. You are a blessing to me, buddy, but I don’t need thatRead more

#SoCS: Soar and Fly

My oh my, how we fly From day of birth through good-bye Decades pass Memories last But, still, we wonder why My oh my, what is this life Is it about husband and wife A child or two Or single in lieu Or perhaps it cuts like a knife My oh my, the days slip away We pray for three seasons to stay Time can be a snake Age can take a break Preferring to go out and play MyRead more