The Daffodil Dare

Good news:  it’s finally spring!  Now, I have to admit that at this point, the signs of spring are still somewhat sparse.  The nights are still chilly; after all, in Arkansas, we’re told to expect nighttime temperatures well below freezing all the way...

Growing with Gailey

Gailey and I are always ready for the next adventure! It was December of 2018, in the burnt-out end of what had been one of the most agonizing and painful years of my life, that I was finishing a run one night on the road near my house.  In the dark of the...

The Pinecone Parable

These “sugar cones,” nearly eighteen inches long, are a reminder of our family’s trip to the redwood forests of California. Years ago, my mother, an accomplished artist, was enrolled in a litany of classes at a local college.  These art-focused...

Winter Woods

When was the last time you took a walk through winter woods? There’s a quiet ache in the January forest.  All year, the woods have been vibrantly alive—a rich symphony of sound and color and movement.  In spring, they don the filmy chartreuse of...

Forged in Fire

One of my successful brush piles. As many of you know from my previous posts, my family and I live in a very rural area on a beautiful tract of land.  And, as I’ve also mentioned before, we’re not alone on the property.  This is especially...