Ghosts of Christmas Crafts
Winter in north-central Montana can be brutal. Our farm’s shelter-belt trees blocked the west wind, but from the north, it swept down unimpeded and swirled around our farmhouse, piling long berms of snow… Continue reading
Soup Season
The Autumnal Equinox arrived in a gentle rain last night here in southeastern Montana. It’s the start of soup season, and I love the time I spend in the kitchen cubing and dicing… Continue reading
When the Wind Blows…
I have a friend who loves the wind. She grew up in western North Dakota. While I was holed up in the farmhouse during prairie gales, poring over the illustrations in The Wizard… Continue reading
A China Story
My sister and I had a few doll dishes. They would hold several dandelion stems or a handful of wrinkled toadstools—enough, anyway, for us to imagine we were dining in a fancy restaurant,… Continue reading
When Your Best Isn’t (Yet) Good Enough
I’ve been here before. I’m near the end of a long project, my Teeny-Tiny ABC book. The art has gone fairly well, but I know in my heart I can do better. This… Continue reading
R is for…
When I was around seven, my dad adopted a baby raccoon. He and a neighbor had been hauling bales from a straw stack, and found a nest of little ones. It was the… Continue reading
Jack-O-Lantern Smile
Jack (c. 1972) My mother, age 12 (c. 1949)… Continue reading
October
The word “October” has always carried an extra little thrill for me. My birthday falls toward the end of the month, close enough to Halloween that my mother used to make themed cupcakes… Continue reading
Imelda, The Wonder Tub
I am a hot-bath junkie. I hit the tub late, after my family is asleep. Taking Roger Ebert’s movie reviews along guarantees I won’t be in bed before midnight. Often the cat will… Continue reading