Fort Union National Monument stands as a reminder of the cultural clashes that occurred during the westward expansion of the United States. 5 minute read. Kid friendly. A visit to the Monument invites entry into an important part of the history of the Santa Fe Trail. I’m eager to visit as I do research for
Is Halloween too scary? In my neighborhood Halloween is a joyful time. But it may not be so joyful for young children as we like to imagine. 4-5 min. read. Families in my neighborhood go all out to decorate. On Halloween we welcome the ghosts, ghouls, Dr. Who’s, Saitamas, Elsas, Charlie Browns, witches, and characters
Remembering the death of a cat, our cat. How do you deal with the death of a pet? 6-8 minute read. Luna’s obituary did not appear in The New York Times. Nor could you have found it in The Baltimore Sun or even in The Towson Times despite her long residence in the area. She
Anne Hathaway’s Cottage as seen from a garden seat. A walk in Anne Hathaway‘s Cottage gardens got me to thinking of Badger, bees, and re-wilding. The cottage and gardens are kept open by The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. My daughter works there and was stationed in the cottage garden the afternoon I visited. The gardens of
Picking Yourself Up After Disappointment and Failure Orchids are thought to represent love, beauty, strength, luxury, elegance, and uniqueness. These orchids brightened my room when I was away from home a few years ago. What if we were defined by our disappointments and failures rather than by our successes? No, seriously. Our successes are cause
A Yankee living in the Bard’s World? Tradition and green spaces make Stratford-upon-Avon is a great place for a writer. 2 min read. Kid friendly
Toy mice and treasured family memories are part of our Christmas. Why do we have mouse ornaments on our Christmas Tree? It started for want of a wind-up mouse. 1.5 minute read. Kid friendly.
Story telling during the holidays is a great way introduce family to its traditions and to bring family closer together. An example of a family story illustrates how you can introduce story telling and build a tradition. But you don’t have to wait for the holidays.
The Last Crystal Trilogy is complete at last. In the next few posts, I will be reflecting on the process of writing the Trilogy, beginning with The Last Crystal because I wrote it first. I had no idea I was going to write a trilogy. It started with an idea that swam around in my head for years before
My granddaughter wants to be an Egyptologist. At fourteen, she has been teaching herself to read hieroglyphics, using the classic, Hieroglyphics for Beginners, by E. A. Wallis Budge. This all began in third grade when a teacher introduced her to myths from various cultures. She was intrigued by Egyptian mythology. Intrigue turned to the desire
I have better things to do than fill your inbox, but I will update you on news, such as Sid Johnson and the Phantom Slave Stealer’s nomination for an Agatha Award. It was one of five finalists–an incredible honor.
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