exploring life and love with pictures and words
A summer storm has interrupted the predictable sunny days of August in Southern California. My bedroom window wide open, the curtain pulled aside, I lay on my bed listening to the rain dance on the back patio and I welcome the rush of cool air. The book I’ve been reading rests on my chest, and... Continue Reading →
My grandson Luca sings along to Twenty One Pilots’ Stressed Out as I drive. I pick him up after school every Tuesday, giving his mom a break from the south county--north county roundtrip commute. Living with his dad half time in Huntington Beach, Luca has attended school here since he was a little guy in... Continue Reading →
Somewhere between sleep and waking, I float in the periphery of a sweet dream. I want to stay here soaking up its warm light, but the image fades, and peace slips away. A familiar ache creeps into my subconscious and I reluctantly recall the reason for the void I feel. I miss someone. I’m surprised... Continue Reading →
Grief . . . There is no escaping it. All of us will experience a big loss in our lifetime, most of us already have. If we’re lucky we may have time to prepare our hearts for the inevitable passing of someone we love. In other instances we will never see it coming and we’ll... Continue Reading →
The coffee shop empties as the morning shift locals make their exit, and the noise level quiets to a low hum. Staring into space, I absentmindedly click the end of my pen against my chin. I’m searching my brain’s thesaurus for an adjective to describe a snort, the laughing kind. Loud comes to mind, but... Continue Reading →
“Fa Caldo!” It’s hot! I hear the phrase again and again, as the temperatures along Lake Como have been hovering in the low 90s for days. My cousins and I escape the heat in Mandello, and head for higher ground in Lierna. It’s not significantly cooler, but there is a small pool, a garden hose... Continue Reading →
Once a week I help my grandson with his schoolwork. It’s a tough day, for both of us. He has little interest in Google slides, or prerecorded stories on Youtube read aloud by random teachers. He interrupts my instruction and the videos constantly to tell me about outer space, meteors and solar storms. He wants... Continue Reading →
Hello Friends, I was recently interviewed by my friends Sarah and Mia of The Kindred Voice for their podcast The Kindred Convos. I’ve received a lot of positive feedback so I thought I would share the interview here on my blog. If you’re looking for a little inspiration, this podcast may be for you. :-)... Continue Reading →
A friend sent me a message asking if I would participate in the latest social media challenge. All I had to do was post a black and white photograph of myself, tag her and nominate another woman to do the same. The purpose? To support, empower and celebrate women. Easy enough. I could have chosen... Continue Reading →
He is a bright boy, articulate and creative. He has a natural curiosity and a variety of interests. He loves to learn new things, but not in the traditional school setting. There he feels anxious and inadequate. In the classroom his attention wanes, his mind filled with worried about his ability to do a task... Continue Reading →
Bare Naked in Public 