Fallout from War: a Child’s View

February 25, 2026.Reading time 5 minutes.

February 22, 2022, Vasylisa celebrated her ninth birthday with her family and friends in their home in Kiev. She was ecstatic, as there amongst her birthday gifts sat the much-asked-for Barbie dream house. I doubt she slept that night with all the excitement. She wouldn’t sleep the next night either. At 4:00 am on the […]

The Coach Learns a Lesson (excerpt)

May 31, 2023.Reading time less than 1 minute.

Moose-capade

January 6, 2023.Reading time 6 minutes.

Every Christmas for the 20 years we have been together, Ric has threatened to decorate the front yard (or roof) with a herd of reindeers. Every year, I offer up an emphatic NO! This year, our Ukrainian guests got in on the fracas. They seem to be amused by how easily he baits me. Entertainment […]

Lost and Found

July 23, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Fallen limbs and pathless woodsno obstacle for a wild childleft to her own devices,searching for a self. Only with age, and sproutingcurves, did I learn to be afraidof shadows, that the woodsequated with wolves and lurking And that abandoned placeshouse evil – held captive therejust this side of adolescence – lost all that innocence gifts […]

Together a Tapestry

March 3, 2019.Reading time 2 minutes.

Across the miles, our wordsconvene, threads of our livesintertwining to form a tapestry. Stories of sorrow and kindness,humanity restored –of observation and empathyof inspiration through resonanceof brilliance and artistry. Each thread as colourfulas another, delicately added,thoughtful ponderings Of generations and legacies,misunderstandings contributing to tragedy,of infatuation and love’s fallacy,of childhood and noses in booksand entanglements leadingto […]

The Bottom of The Ravine

October 21, 2016.Reading time 7 minutes.

I spotted him as soon as I exited the back door of the school. He stood on the field, just off the paved area where students were now scattering after the final bell. He wore a bulky, beige parka, fists shoved into jean pockets, a few locks of dirty blonde hair falling over cold grey eyes; […]