A bit of news to inspire! First the Bad Many of us spent much of 2016 preparing with pride to celebrate our first female President of the United States. My informal survey over coffee and on social media with friends is that many of us ended 2016 shell-shocked and deflated. And it’s not just about […]
Before Morning by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes I am a word person. So it is the spare but emotionally packed poetry of this new children’s book that moves me most. It begins: “In the deep woolen dark, as we slumber unknowing, let the sky fill with flurry and flight.” And yet, the story’s […]
The night before New Year’s Eve was no ordinary Friday night. Yes, I stepped out for a night on the town, and ate and drank accordingly. But unlike most Friday nights, this December 30 was the culmination of a 30+day food fest. Sugar cookies, pumpkin pies, candy and more candy. Home cooked turkey, mac and […]
Today I share a poem in the spirit of Christmas. Now more relevant than ever. Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem by Maya Angelou. Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses. Flood waters await us in our avenues. Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche Over […]
It’s that time of year when I wake up in the morning not sure if it’s actually morning or still the middle of the night. I’m a person who thrives on light; starting my day in darkness is particularly difficult. So it hits me hard to know that there are people – during those long […]
Today’s shout out is to all of you thousands (maybe millions) who will spend some time this holiday season in your kitchen concocting a fabulous mouth-watering baked good for your favorite charity bake sale. The bake sale has been around for centuries (true fact!) This warms my heart – a tradition that binds us together […]
I am starting to catch the holiday spirit this weekend. Yesterday, my youngest daughter – now all of 22 years old – joined me and my boyfriend in picking out and decorating a perfectly shaped Christmas tree. After getting the tree in the stand, my daughter took up residence in the kitchen and whipped up […]
A few weeks ago, one of my Facebook friends invited me to join a group called Pantsuit Nation. You may be familiar with this group. Maybe you are even a member. As you may have guessed, the group name was chosen in reference to Hillary Clinton. My understanding is that the group was formed as […]
Chances are, the children will want to be outside in the first snow of the year. But eventually they will wear themselves out. And that’s the perfect time to snuggle up with hot cocoa and a good book! New and Fabulous First Snow by Bomi Park From South Korea, here’s a quietly beautiful picture book […]
It’s snowing! First snow in Chicago 2016-17! I know in a couple of months I will be grinding my teeth as hardened clumps covered with dirt sit in the streets. But today it feels like living inside a snow globe. First Snow Magic The first snow always feels like something breathtakingly unexpected. And that’s funny, […]