When I was a child, October was my favorite month. I loved Halloween and the special crispness and sparkle of the early-fall days. All month I’d live in a state of high excitement and dread going to sleep for fear I’d miss something–a visit from …
Last Thursday and Friday I asked off from work so I could have a long weekend. But I didn’t plan to go to the beach or Disney World or St. Augustine or anywhere at all. No, I planned to stay home (with my cats and …
The other day I read an interesting opinion piece in USA Today suggesting that the current epidemic of depression in America (suicide rates have increased dramatically over the past 20 years) is largely caused by our culture’s overemphasis on personal accomplishment. Our emotional suffering, the …
Spring is my favorite season. It always has been. When I was a child, spring started, in my opinion, in February, when the wild violets appeared like magic in the little scrap of woods behind our backyard in Tallahassee. My sister Kris and I would …
On Saturday, Fenna and Claudia Rose had a tea party in the yard, even though spring is still a far-off wish, a dream. They held bouquets of pink camellias, the stems tied with satin ribbons, to add a little cheer to the brown and wintry …
Here are some little fun things that have been happening around Spruce Pine Cottage recently. About a week before school started, Sophie (my niece) got her braces off. I couldn’t wait to see her new teeth, so I arranged a visit with her as soon …
About a week ago, I ordered Carl a cat-sized collar and tie from a lovely Etsy shop called ChariotsAFire. The combo arrived in the mail on Tuesday. The tie is olive green with tiny gold dots, and Carl looks great in it (it really complements …
