I guess the biggest constant in our life is that people come into it and people go, around like a carousel. We welcomed a new family member into our lives on August 18th, a little girl we named Sylvia Matilda (more on that later), then a couple of weeks later my Uncle Max left us. To me that loss has been felt little by little for many years, as he suffered from a condition called Pick's Disease for the last fifteen years or so. Pick's is an affliction similar to Alzheimer's where the mind is overtaken and memories are replaced with bits gray nothing, so we have been watching Max's benevolent ..read more

Things have changed, and they have changed rapidly. I assume you have also noticed these changes. In the midst of a virus that could either kill you or show no symptoms, allowing you to spread it to people you love who could perhaps die from it or show no symptoms, my husband and I are expecting a new little apprentice next month. Both of these big events, globally and personally, have altered our travel plans, the way we interact with each other as a community, and how I am working on guitars these days. First, if you are up to date on my past blogs, you already know that I had a miscarriage ..read more

I have this memory of sitting at a weathered picnic table, the sun warming my shoulders through my light t shirt. Nine dried, brown speckled beans piled together in front of me, nine sitting in front of my dad, two beans sitting in the middle of the table as though they were preparing for a duel. My dad passes five cards to me and five to himself from a deck he sits between us. I don't remember who won that game, but I remember the rough splinters of the picnic table, the smell of the cards mingling with freshly cut grass, the soft click as one card was laid on top of a pile of other discards ..read more

The other day it snowed. Pretty steadily throughout the afternoon; little compact flakes fell and gathered among the hibernating blades of grass. I love to see the midwinter landscape transform from dingy beige to glistening white, providing a sparkly purpose for the cold. Snow hasn't occurred much where I live this year (I won't go into my thoughts on climate change but you should know that it is a thing we need to work on) but the other day the snow fell. One downside of the icy downpour was that I couldn't just fill a mug with scalding water and warm my hands with my tea while tucking mysel ..read more

Another post that is too many months late. As usual, I'm sorry about that. I have been waiting for something exciting or at least happy to happen so I have something fun to write to you about but the last few months have been...less than ideal. I don't really want to focus on those events though, as there are always positives that can help outweigh the hefty hits my family has been dealt lately. Halloween is tomorrow, so it got me thinking. Perhaps I could tell you a story about Halloweens past, my dad's little known but actual superstitions, Shirleen's memories of bobbing for apples as a girl ..read more

It is always so surprising to me when I go to write you a story and find out that it has been months since I have posted anything. In my mind I have been talking to you all along, which might mean I have a mental illness, but know that I am thinking of you and have all the intentions to write you a little something. It doesn't hurt to remind me if you're missing the stories. I never know who actually reads this anyway, or if I am just talking to myself. In the case of this entry, that would be alright. This time I want to tell you a little bit about my Uncle Gerald. Before you think, wait, sh ..read more