A friend and I were reminiscing yesterday about what people in Idaho called the “junk room”; that room in an unseen part of the house where the door was always closed and the smell of mothballs was ever-present. I had two favorite junk rooms. One was in my grandmother’s house, an upstairs bedroom piled pell-mell...
This post was originally published March 30, 2019 It occurred to me the other day: – If I’d been more focused all these years, I could have written 20 books, not just 8. – If I’d been more organized, I might not have let so many potential prospects slip away. – If I’d been more...
The other day, a woman I’ve never met e-mailed me because she’d heard about the Little Free Library I donated to a local mobile home park. She wanted to know how to get me some books for the library. I thanked her profusely and in true pandemic-habit mode, I told her she could leave them...
As I mentioned last week, I broke my collarbone while vacationing in my beloved Ireland. In describing the accident and how it affected the trip, I’m tempted to call it a bit of a setback, but that doesn’t feel like the right word. Oddly enough, it was a step forward, not a setback. I won’t...
This post originally ran on August 27, 2016 We are bombarded daily with tips for how to live longer, healthier lives. How to treat our bodies better, bolster our minds and nourish our souls. We’re supposed to drink eight glasses of water a day, get eight hours of sleep per night, eat our greens, meditate,...
This post first ran on June 17, 2017 There is a sculpture not far from my house that is a representation of one of our town’s early residents. It sits on a pedestal at the corner of a busy intersection, and visitors and locals often asked two questions about the piece: “Who is that supposed...
This post originally ran on March 18, 2018 Buddha once said that everyone would experience 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows in their lifetime. I came across that quote the other day, and the number jolted me. It sounded so high! I mean, it’s not hard to imagine 10,000 joys if you think of a joy...
I recently donated a Little Free Library to a local mobile home park. I stopped by the library, which is located near the playground, the other evening and chatted with some of the kids who were playing there. Some of them had seen and even used the library, the others hadn’t noticed it at all....
Since I write every week about how much I love and honor art in all its forms, you might be surprised that I don’t consume as much of certain types as you might think. Many of my friends admit to keeping the radio or TV on most of the day when they are at home...
A friend was recently certified in feng shui, the ancient Chinese art of arranging spaces to bring about harmony and balance and increase peace and prosperity. For more than a year now, my friend has been offering me tips to improve the spaces in my home, and it’s shocking how much it has raised my...