My genteel Southern grandma usually protected herself from our northern summer sun with a large-brimmed straw hat, tied under her chin with a big, colorful bow. When the wild berries ripened, she switched to a no-nonsense seed cap. Leading the march to the ditches or neighbors’ old cow pasture, she’d make us pick for hours….
Carpe Diem
My husband and I were thrilled with our firstborn, but people congratulating us usually added, “Enjoy your time with her. Soon she’ll be in school and you’ll be writing again.” Sure, I’d think, in about eighteen years. The reality was almost double, although God had clearly blessed us with our miracle child. I was young,…
When the Early Bird Catches the Night Owl
In little more than a month, Daylight Savings Time ends. Gain an hour? For me it only means I’ve already lost winter’s war and won a mere 3,600 seconds in which to try keeping up with our family’s night owls. It’s not an issue when the sun shines, but as darkness swallows bright minutes at…
The Good, the Bad and the Pink
Humanity can make you lose heart these days, which is why I treasure a 3” x 2.5” swatch of pink fabric given to me by a man I’ve never seen. When my decades-old sewing machine broke down, replacing it was low priority because I really only used it for mending or making mittens. The reason…
In Praise of Neighbors
“Are the kids still up?” my husband asked as our minivan turned down the driveway. I strained to see through the trees. “Everything looks black.” Our teenagers usually lit up the house, played loud music, watched movies and gorged on junk food during our rare absences. “Someone’s been here.” He pointed to tire tracks in…
Constance Colson-Clay 