The Father I Miss

March 23, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

Father abhorred laziness. “The idle mind is the Devil’s playground!” he’d say. Or: “What are you trying to do; win the horizontal championship?” Well, I’m the horizontal champion now, thanks to illness. Wonder what he’d say about that? Still, I’m not lazy. To my face he was hardcore, unless he was soppy drunk, then the […]

Milk Pods (FOTD)

November 9, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Do wishes come true? I remember milk pod dreams – seeds of hope carried on late summer gusts – winter hovering on the sideline. (Cee’s Flower of the day challenge)

Simple Pleasures (FOTD)

November 3, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Pluckable petals remind me of simpler times – “Loves me; loves me not”. (Cee’s flower of the day.)

Snapdragons (Flower of the Day)

October 13, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

I hear my father’s voice scolding, remember the childlike fascination of flowery mouths – snapdragons – a constant presence in our familial gardens. (Cee’s Flower of the Day)

Photo a Week: Ready…

September 23, 2018.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Set…Go! Ready, set, go: I miss summer already! Thank you to Nancy Merrill for this week’s photo challenge: Ready, set, action.

Lens-Artists: Action

September 4, 2018.Reading time 1 minute.

Oh, to jump without fear – a skill long passed, although leaps of faith, I still take – never too aged for those. I remember when speed equated with freedom – a constant race – now I walk with careful measure, fresh air still accompanying pace. Never could accomplish a cartwheel – coordination not amongst […]

Writing Lessons #2: Sparrows

March 1, 2018.Reading time 6 minutes.

(The prompt for this week is surroundings and we were encouraged to focus on one aspect of nature as it relates to the story. I chose sparrows.) Out the back gate, across the farmer’s field and into the woods I go in search of the child, knowing that she comes here frequently, alone, despite the […]

Televised Sports and Tantrums

December 5, 2017.Reading time 4 minutes.

What is unresolved in childhood resurfaces in adult relationships; it rears its head with all the finesse and grace of a child throwing a tantrum. I am guilty of such behaviour. Movie nights with Mom happened once a week. Dad would be at work, and Mom would make a big pot of buttered popcorn and […]

The Other Side of the Fence

January 20, 2017.Reading time 5 minutes.

The longest my family ever lived in one place was when I was aged four to eleven. We lived in a house, built by my father, with a fortress of cedars on either side of the backyard to “keep out nosy neighbours”. Behind was a farmer’s field and beyond a wooded area. My father had […]

Simplicity of Childhood Faith

September 5, 2016.Reading time 4 minutes.

The tiny crayfish slowly made it’s way over the rocky water bed, climbing in and out of crevices, antennae constantly moving. Perched on my haunches, trying valiantly not to move and startle the small creature, I watched in fascination. His translucent body moved with such tenacity over what must surely be a challenging terrain for […]

Monday Mood: Abundance

We held a garage sale this past Saturday – no small feat for two gimpy old folks. Fortunately, we had help, and as it was a town-wide event, there were many people out. Still exhausted two days later, but feeling like this squirrel with his treasure – blessed by abundance. (photo mine)

Colouring Lessons

Favourite colour?Black, says shewithout hesitation; I falter, stumblemind reaching –who likes black? Is that a colour?It’s all colours,she’s nonchalant intent on task –carefully keepingwithin the lines Of course it is,ill equipped am Ito disagree, images of dark sombercorners, sorrowand death crows – Why black? ask I –composure forced –had anticipated pink equate childhoodwith primary shadessplotches of […]