Writing “Brush Strokes”

February 16, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

Writing fiction is a stretch for me. I have experience with technical and instructional writing, poetry, and memoir, but seldom do I venture into the realm of fiction. So, when I signed up for an online writing class, I decided this would be my opportunity to take a risk. (The story referenced here was yesterday’s […]

Brush Strokes (Fiction)

February 15, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

The brush felt awkward in Kate’s hand and she could feel her frustration mounting. The last time she had painted had been the twin’s room more than a year ago and that was because the boys had outgrown the pastels of the nursery. Now, here she sat, legs crossed on the floor with four other […]

RV-Able: Feathered Friends

February 14, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

“Birding won’t be the same in Arizona,” Ric warned me as we pulled away from Texas. He’s right in the sense that we don’t have experts to turn to, but there just as many interesting and diverse species to be seen. Our first morning here, I awoke to what sounded like someone swinging on a […]

The Spirit of Wild Horses

February 12, 2018.Reading time 9 minutes.

We’ve come back to Coon’s Bluff in hopes of seeing the wild horses. The day is crystal blue, without a cloud in the sky. My heart is heavy. I woke up in the middle of the night, with the lines of a poem running through my head. Without turning on the light, I reached for […]

Art (Life) Lessons

February 11, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

The how-to’s of watercolour, I am discovering, are applicable to other areas of our lives. Inspired by classes I took in Texas, I have continued to try my hand at this art form. This is what I have learned so far: Begin with a plan. We used carbon paper to trace the image’s outline, although […]

Hummingbirds!

February 10, 2018.Reading time 2 minutes.

Arizona is host to up to 15 species of hummingbirds per year, and at the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, we managed to see quite a variety. I mentioned in the last post that a Black-chinned hummingbird greeted us upon arrival, and I did manage to get a picture, but the light was not favourable, […]

RV-Able: Desert Botanical Gardens

February 9, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

“Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix have mobility scooters on a first come first serve basis!” I told Ric excitedly. I’d been itching to get out again and see more countryside, but my body and his knees have been protesting. The gardens open at 8:00 a.m. and we are forty-five minutes away, so we set an […]

Sunday At The Park

February 8, 2018.Reading time 3 minutes.

We’ve fallen into the habit of eating our big meal mid-day, and quite often out. While in Texas, we discovered Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen which offers menu items that appeal to both our palates. So, Sunday, we decided to look for a Cheddar’s. Phoenix is surrounded by smaller communities which look like a patchwork quilt on […]

More Misadventures On The Road

February 7, 2018.Reading time 4 minutes.

Travelling with a malfunctioning brain is sure to cause mishaps. We already know from the fiasco in New Mexico trying to find Silver City that I am not be trusted with directions. Well, turns out I am not to be trusted with other things either. The day after we arrived in Arizona, I decided to […]

RV-Able: Apache Trail

February 5, 2018.Reading time 5 minutes.

“I want to drive the Apache Trail,” Ric indicated as soon as we arrived in Arizona. “It’s a day long trip so we’ll have to make sure you’re comfortable: bring along drinks and food and blankets.” I googled it. It’s a forty-five mile trek through the mountains beginning from Apache Junction, where we are staying. […]