Columns

I blinked several times in the bright sunlight as I started down the stairs that had been rolled up to the airplane. The airport seemed strangely built, with two large buildings topped by tall, cone-shaped roofs. A man was at the bottom of the stairs, and we instantly recognized that…

“Easy, easy,” I said in my most reassuring voice. “It’s very easy to get to my house. There are only two turns.” Despite that, the courier from the shipping company was telling me that I lived too far out in the jungle for him to possibly find my house and…

Inhaling deeply, I took in the clearness of the June morning. The zoysia grass in our front yard was thick and green and luscious, like a deep-pile carpet. Off in the distance, I could hear a hawk squawking at its mate. Some magnolia blossoms were on low-hanging branches nearby, and…

Looking out my window as I start to write this column, I see what appears to be a sunny day. But there’s a cloud covering the top part of the mountain, so it may not be sunny for long. My pets, Pokey and Ginger, are sound asleep. Should I get…

I had a silly grin on my face. Then a giggle escaped. Finally, I quit trying and gave in to the belly laugh. Pokey, my dog, jumped up from his spot on the bed and glared at me. I can’t help it. I’ve been rereading C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters”…

I love a beach day. I’m always good for warm, salt-water therapy. The sun warms my bones, and sand crunching beneath my feet softens and smooths my callouses. As the waves gently lap ashore, all is peaceful and calm. Imagine being tasked with finding one special grain of sand on…

Tilting my head upward, I looked to the stars. There it was, the easiest constellation for me to identify: Orion. I identified it by the three stars in a row that make up his belt, and then looked down to his right side — my left — and saw the…

I’m finding myself weary at the start of every day. Sleep doesn’t provide much calming rest, and I need time to focus myself before I begin any work. That’s frustrating! I want to “get cracking,” but the flesh doesn’t match my spirit. Then I came across a quote online (source…

Creak, groan! This time the complainer is my 2003 car. Apparently, it doesn’t like a temperature of 30 F any more than I do. In spite it all, I put on my lined gloves, double-check my purse for plenty of chemical hand-warmers, and cover my face to make the 957-foot…

“Those look like snow clouds,” I said to my dad on a recent Sunday afternoon. “Those definitely look like snow clouds,” he responded. I’d warned him the previous Friday that snow was predicted for the following Tuesday. I remember Dad asking if I thought it would actually snow this time,…