I have a problem with my mouth. It doesn’t necessarily listen to the relatively small part of my brain that tells me to be graceful, be still in a moment, be couth. In other words, I blurt; brain-to-mouth with relatively no filter. I like to think it’s part of what makes me “quirky,” borderline “charming” … More A Case of the Puckering Buckeye and the Other Puckering Buckeye
A friend just asked me “Why don’t you put some real writing on your blog, Marla?” I was a little hurt at first, but I understand what she was asking. Since my blog is a way of building readership, why don’t I include a lot of the essays or poetry or even fiction that I … More “Avogadro’s Number” in response to a reader’s request for my “real” writing.
Today starts my official dog-sitting/house-sitting duties here in southern California. For the sake of privacy, I won’t use photos of the dog, the house or use real names. After I dropped his owners at the airport this morning, I drove back to their beautiful house, thinking how strange it is to house-sit for people I’ve … More The King and I, and Laguna Niguel Regional Park
“The person susceptible to “wanderlust” is not so much addicted to movement as committed to transformation.”Pico Iyer A friend recently asked me why I travel so much. As I sit on on our deck this morning, swinging and clacking away at my laptop (blogging is the only time I don’t compose with pen and paper) … More On wanderlust and writing hard. On Iyer, Patchett and Loren
Yesterday I went to Skunk Hollow, a rural area of northern Indiana County, Pennsylvania where my brother lives. It’s an Amish area, since the early 40s according to my late Gram, who said she was there when they bought the first farm in the area. I was there to pick elderberries, but arrived late. I … More A note on yesterday, a teaser for tomorrow and another trip to Coshocton, Ohio
I don’t sell what I make. It’s a product of love and a gift of love. So if you receive one, I either like you very much or you’ve done something very wonderful and I want to thank you in a really special way. While I sometimes add fruit from a farmer’s market, I’m not … More A Philosophy of Jetiquette and a Steelers’ Bucket full of elderberries
There are so many places left unhiked. Once I develop an affinity for a place it’s difficult to make myself try something new. If you’ve been reading you already know my outdoor writing spots: the river; the lower Heritage Trail; the stairs to the state hospital; and the ledge overlooking the boulders of the abandoned … More Hatcher Hill Paw Paws, Sunrise Falls and the Graves of Anger and Hunger
I have learned that it takes me 5.5 hours to hike 10 miles, including two short writing stops, a wipe-out, and a few heavy-breathing rest stops on the climb back out. I have learned I don’t know how to estimate how much water to carry for 10 miles, and that it is possible to drop … More Clifty Falls Weight Loss Guide: Hike; Fall; Cry like a baby; Hike some More
I’m Baxter, and I’m taking over Mom’s blog today, because I think everything’s been too much about people stuff lately. Mom promised we’re going to have a Madison day together tomorrow, the way we did when we first arrived. I hope so, because there’s a lot for me to do here.
Grateful… For my husband. There is nothing that equals a marriage except one that contains the best friendship you could ever imagine. For a mentor and friend, who reminded me this morning that “Life is a privilege. It’s not why. It’s how.” For the Madison Indiana Observer, who gave me a lovely shout-out yesterday…
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