I’m back at it again, drawing pictures for my children’s story. This time with a lovable, watchful dog by my side. I’m surprised it feels easier to keep coming back to my illustrations with this dog around. It took a few days to adjust & develop a daily routine with her, but now our morning…

Hello Readers, I haven’t posted anything the last few Sundays. Life took an unexpected turn. My daughter came to visit for a week before her federal job is reinstated. I haven’t seen her in a year, so it was a welcome sudden change in plans. While she was here she said, “Mom, you need to…

Hello Readers, It’s been a busy week, not much time for illustrating my story. Taxes took much of my time this week, but now they’re finally done & ready for my CPA. I never like doing taxes, but once I start I enjoy the process of looking back over the past year and remembering what…

Hello Readers, As promised, I’m sharing my progress with illustrating my first children’s book. This past week I met with other artists at a local coffee shop. We gather once a week around a large rectangular table, sip tea or coffee, talk, and work on our own art projects. This time I worked on my…

I bought this large painting at Pier 1 in Los Angeles to connect me with the trees & forests I missed. It hung in my bedroom over my writing desk for many years. I loved it. Sadly, I couldn’t bring it to Oregon. No room left, so I gave it away, reluctantly. But when I…

Feb 14, 2025 – The day started sweet with a loving Valentine’s Day message from a far away old friend. I thanked her & then sent a text message to my adult daughter who lives in another state. I wished her a lovely day & told her I loved her. She replied with a ❤️…

Last year I wrote about taking a break from packing boxes for my big move to Oregon. I baked a wonderful sour cream coffee cake with cinnamon, ginger cardamom & orange zest thanks to Ruth Stroud’s family recipe learned from her mother, Flora Stroud. Now, a year later I’m taking a break again. Only this…

Whatever you are thinking, feeling this November 6th morning, I wish you both solace and hope today as we march forward into the unknown. Let’s do it… Turning to Poetry in Troubled Times

It’s been 4 months since I moved to Oregon. It takes a lot of time and effort to build new relationships after a move. When we were newlyweds & moved to LA, I was bewildered but we had each other. Now I’m single and finally returned to the land I love. Evenso, some days it…

For the past year I have been pursuing the possibility of making an old dream come true: move to my homeland, Oregon, where I was born & raised. Could I really do it after 40 years in Los Angeles? At my age, 69? “Why not?!” I thought, I’m more free now than I’ve ever been.…