exquisite flowers, not from our garden Early this morning I stood outside near the badminton net in our back yard, clutching a dog poop bag in my hand and waiting for Scout to do his doings. Something on the ground caught my eye; further examination revealed a half-eaten green tomato, abandoned. Dammit. Hope you enjoyed … Continue reading Journal Entry: Gardening Is Difficult, and Other Truths
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers
Sunday Photo Essay: A Birthday Celebration
tide-me-over birthday cupcake It's annual birthday week for The Chef and me: Mine was last Monday, his is this coming Tuesday. On Monday he brought me home a single cupcake to celebrate the occasion: lemon, with lemon buttercream icing and lemon curd filling—lemony goodness, through and through. But we saved our grand celebration for yesterday, … Continue reading Sunday Photo Essay: A Birthday Celebration
Beware of Goat (And So Much More)
our sign is up Would that Van-Goat-the-Statuary were all any of us needed to beware of at this moment. One of my bffs down South once told me a story that will stay with me forever. It happened way back in the day when she was still in college in her twenties, and working part-time … Continue reading Beware of Goat (And So Much More)
Sunday Photo Essay: Look Busy
Saturday morning busy I can't recall a moment in my lifetime at once so exciting and completely anguished. SpaceX launched the Dragon Endeavor successfully yesterday with two American astronauts aboard, and today docked at the International Space Station. Meanwhile, American cities are burning, we're still navigating a deadly pandemic, and people are dying. This control … Continue reading Sunday Photo Essay: Look Busy
Journal Entry: Rules and Regs
I follow rules and regs. (What are rules and regs?) COVID-19 wouldn’t have impressed my great-grandmother Gracie too much, I’ll bet. I was expressing this notion to a few colleagues on Friday in an office ping thread where we were heaving a collective sigh over the language that’s everywhere you turn right now: in these … Continue reading Journal Entry: Rules and Regs
Sunday Photo Essay: When a Pandemic Hands You Lemons…
...make lemon chicken soup with orzo, obviously. My craving began on Friday; I satisfied it today in my kitchen. I found this version on a blog called pinchofyum.com; I like the way this food writer thinks (and you've gotta love somebody who married a man named Bjork—seriously, I want to invite these people over to … Continue reading Sunday Photo Essay: When a Pandemic Hands You Lemons…
Journal Entry: The Pandemic Inspires a Conversation
Before all this happened, I was already reflecting on this notion, that in the intervening eight years between living through the kind of loss I think of as the emotional equivalent of blunt force trauma, and life as it is right now, my take on things has changed. Not everything. Some losses were undeniably horrible, … Continue reading Journal Entry: The Pandemic Inspires a Conversation
Saturday Photo Essay: Social Distancing, Vermont Edition
It's a grey day today, but the temperature was perfect for running, around 48 or so when we struck out. And there's no denying how bucolic the landscape. We had a good run. Scout ground scored a gravel-encrusted dog turd when I wasn't paying attention, which I had to pry out of his slobbery mouth, … Continue reading Saturday Photo Essay: Social Distancing, Vermont Edition
Journal Entry: Desperate Measures
I don’t want to write about it. How can I not? A little earlier I was outside visiting The Chef, who’s been doing yard work on this exquisite early spring day, raking leaves in the garden where we tried to grow veggies with mixed success last summer, but this summer will convert to a cutting … Continue reading Journal Entry: Desperate Measures
Journal Entry: When February 29th Comes Calling
I always think of my maternal grandmother, Alberta Sullivan Joslin, affectionately known as 'Bobbie' to her family and friends, on February 29th, which was her birthday. To me, though, she was simply 'Bob Mama.' I don't have many photos of her; she was only 19 in that one, which is a photo I made of … Continue reading Journal Entry: When February 29th Comes Calling
Sycamore Stories 