Today on an island . Motors roar on the lake. Far away across the water. Cars speed by. A breeze drowns our the world. Hush, hush, hush. It smooths and waves gentle cattails. I used to paint. Absorbing the colors and shapes Into my being.Capturing beauty with my fingers. Now I strive To put it … Continue reading Island Isolation in Minnesota
Writing
Discussions on the writing and publishing process.
Women’s Writing Retreat at The Clearing Am I Pregnant Again?
My first child was overdue, and a c-section. her conception was an act of joy, a miracle that combined two sets of genes in love. Once conceived she grew on her own. All I needed to do was eat. My first book a mixture of events written on many pages did not write itself, in … Continue reading Women’s Writing Retreat at The Clearing Am I Pregnant Again?
Understanding Australian
Living in a foreign environment even one that supposedly speaks English leads to many misunderstandings. Usually, if I listen closely and be patient I can appear to understand. That’s what my husband and I did on my first visit to Australia. We were visiting cousins I had never met in Bundaberg. We’d been driving all … Continue reading Understanding Australian
Virgin Australia
Virgin airlines 90 minutes Sydney Airport lines and waiting Finally Australia sky So blue Clouds white Water blue Rippling Sunshine bright Warm arm Shade up Tray up Land approaching Plane descending Ears popping Seatbelt fastened Wing flaps up Plane sways Lower we go Water closer Plane tilts Levels off still closer Sunshine Coast Sand beach … Continue reading Virgin Australia
Flying, over the road this time
Flying, flying high in the sky Crowding through crowds on the ground. Not driving just gliding, sitting, waiting anticipating worrying Would my carry on get on? Would too big people sit next to me squeezed in tiny seats? Landing take off body tense sensing danger fight or flight while belted in my seat. Air pressure … Continue reading Flying, over the road this time
Finding Mother’s Gravestone
My brother and I drove from Frazee, Minnesota to Gray Eagle, Minnesota, another town off the beaten path. We drove across lovely verdant farm fields the road curved up and down gentle hills. The corn was green and tall, the soybean fields often had corn that had come from last years crop. We arrived in … Continue reading Finding Mother’s Gravestone
Chasing the Past – Frazee, MN
My brother and I drove from 510 to Frazee, Minnesota. For one year we lived there, my mother, two brothers, and I. Mother worked as a housekeeper for the widower Dick. Dick had one young son, Hank, a little bit younger than me and another who had just gone off to college. We lived in … Continue reading Chasing the Past – Frazee, MN
Researching at the Minnesota State Fair
I'm researching the second book. I'm at the Minnesota State Fair searching for my past. Every year until I moved away from Minnesota I went to the fair. This time I wore my T-shirt from the last trip in 2008. On the back in ALL CAPS purple letters is this quote from Garrison Keillor: THE … Continue reading Researching at the Minnesota State Fair
Home
The old cliches are: "Home is where you heart is"; "There is no place like home"; "Home is where you belong." My home is now in three places, my heart is in all three. There is where I belong, yet there isn't three of me. Since I can't clone myself I will divide the year … Continue reading Home
Finding a Book Hospital
Having a book was harder than having a baby. I remember the act of conception it was a lot of fun, carrying a child nine months, or worse 10 months, not so much, but it didn't compare to the nightmare of proofreading a book. Thinking of writing a book was fun, talking about it was … Continue reading Finding a Book Hospital
Visions from Two Continents 