Dedicated to my sisters, Nancy H., Kim, Arlene, Carol, Nancy L., Betty and Dorothy The intoxicating aromas of basil, lemon, and garlic filled my kitchen. As usual, whenever we indulge our latest cooking adventure, Nancy and I chopped and sliced and sauteed along to Motown. Our culinary endeavor only interrupted by spontaneous dancing and fits of […]
Lemons, Laughs, and Love! Read More »
While sipping coffee in a crowded outdoor cafe in Paris, I watched the endless parade of fashionable women saunter by. Later that afternoon, I rode out to the countryside on a slightly rusted bike. Pedaling through tiny villages, I stopped in one to sip some regional wines and sample artisanal cheeses. Returning to the city,
Today, I finally decided to repot some of my struggling houseplants. After searching around in the basement for a bag of soil, I realized I forgot to buy some. Slightly annoyed, I started back upstairs. For some reason, I turned around to the two crates atop a cabinet near the stairs. There are tools in
Rebuilding Memories Read More »
Sparkling like tiny diamonds morning dew clings to the azalea’s forest green leaves, also adding glitter to the rhododendron and yews. A sun-warmed breeze greets me as I step out onto the front porch. Inhaling the grassy scent of a new day, I watch my houseplants sway lazily on porch hooks, no doubt enjoying their
I’m eight years old and walking into my family’s apartment. Inside my boots my toes are numb from my five-block trek home from school. Not much warmer inside; our landlord isn’t too generous with heat, even in the middle of January. My face feels stiff from the cold, but I smile seeing my mom walking
Few Ingredients, Many Comforts Read More »
Every month in her now discontinued print publication, O magazine, Oprah Winfrey wrote a column, “What I Know for Sure.” Here, she shared how her life experiences led to discovering what she now knew for sure. At a certain point in life, it becomes easier to weed out the superficial, the stuff that doesn’t add
What I Know for Sure Read More »
What would I give, or give up, to go back to those hours, those days before January 20, 2019? Back to the time when my dear friend Don was still alive, still present in this life, and mine. To be celebrating with him today, on what should be another of his birthdays. When you think back
His Birthday Today… If Only Read More »
One writing prompt assignment given in my nonfiction writing group was to tell a story using only three-word sentences. My instructor shared that she often used this prompt when writer’s block threatened. I chose a timeline format for these sentence snippets to reflect on a specific decade of my life. This was originally written in
Writing Prompt: 3-Word Sentences Read More »
Grandparents Day, celebrated in the U.S. on the first Sunday after Labor Day, is on September 10 this year. Internationally recognized on the fourth Sunday of July, when in 2021, Pope Francis declared World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. Whether celebrated in July or September, Grandparents Day deserves its due. If you are/were fortunate
They Made Me What I Am Today Read More »
So, it’s September and back to school is on the horizon. With that, a memory of one such event in my life. Seeing the 18- and 19-year-old baby faces in my first FIT design class highlighted every one of my adult years. Any enthusiasm for returning to school took a nosedive as I thought of
