On Memorial Day weekend, old poem beautifully captures horrors of war

I was going to share this poem with you for Memorial Day. I hadn’t remembered the name correctly and kept Googling On Flanders Field. Thankfully I found this article with the poem (In Flanders Fields is the correct title) and this writer shares it better than I would have: On Memorial Day weekend, old poem beautifully … More On Memorial Day weekend, old poem beautifully captures horrors of war

I’m Not Giving up Elephants for Lent!

Okay, so nobody said anything about elephants, which is good because although I haven’t seen a live elephant in at least a week, I have been hooked on a herd of elephants from the book The Elephant Whisperer, by the late author, Lawrence Anthony.  And I refuse to give up either the book or the … More I’m Not Giving up Elephants for Lent!

Climbing St. Paul’s Cathedral in London

Welcome to Manuscript Monday, dear readers. Making an appearance late in my manuscript is St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. I climbed this cathedral in May, 2011 with a friend. It was a long climb just to the Whispering Gallery (259 steps) and I wasn’t there long before the fire alarm sounded and we were evacuated.   … More Climbing St. Paul’s Cathedral in London

Eating Cao Lầu in Việt Nam: Ancient Well Water and Lye? Yes, Please!

Traveling through Việt Nam a couple of years ago I had the privilege of tasting authentic Cao Lầu noodles in the town from which they are famous: Hội An. Hội An is a trading town in central Vietnam, famous for its handmade clothing from the tailor shops and even more famous for Cao Lầu noodles. It’s … More Eating Cao Lầu in Việt Nam: Ancient Well Water and Lye? Yes, Please!

Favorite Holiday Music?

Just thought I’d share my top three favorite holiday music pieces. I’m picky about the version, so not just any rendition will do. They have to be the following version by these musicians: Straight No Chaser’s “Twelve Days of Christmas” . Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” . Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone’s “Baby It’s Cold Outside” … More Favorite Holiday Music?

The Not-So-Cunning Linguist, and African Song

This morning after dropping Kurt off to catch his carpool, an alert on my phone reminded me that I had forgotten to switch it to Do-Not-Disturb for my peaceful early-morning routine. Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked at the notification in WhatsApp, to find only an image, from Tendai, one of my … More The Not-So-Cunning Linguist, and African Song