“If you were ever dumped after knitting a guy a sweater, consider the possibility that the problem was with the sweater, not you. " Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, Canadian author/knitter The clock is ticking on the closet season. Red corduroy shirt. Swoosh. Down the chute for a final laundering before it's put away. It won't be seen… Continue reading Sweater sayonara
Author: JOY journal
After a long career writing for local newspapers — and, on rare occasions, for publications such as The Washington Post — Nora is enjoying a second-wind season of employment that includes blogging and writing projects of special interest. She lives in Appalachia with her husband and a dog named Finn.
Spring-forward salad
Last week, we were wearing parkas. Today, people are walking their dogs and delivering mail with bared legs so winter-white the sun isn't the only reason I feel a sudden need to shield my eyes. Likewise, in the kitchen, the time for soups and stews is slipping away. I, in fact, whipped up the first… Continue reading Spring-forward salad
Appalachian spring
“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” Margaret Atwood, Canadian poet Oh, the trouble I've gotten myself into reading "creative" magazine spreads and blog posts. I've melted crayons onto my ironing board, made cucumber cups that slid right out of people's fingers. But, hope springs eternal. Literally, as… Continue reading Appalachian spring
Bridging here to eternity
The old bridge that connected our neighborhood with a college campus looked solid enough. But, its underbelly told a different story. Rust and crumbling concrete eroded the span to the point the city abruptly closed it and removed a section to make sure it didn't collapse with someone on it. The new bridge is light… Continue reading Bridging here to eternity
All-done-at-once cooking
“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.” Anthony G. Oettinger, German linguist and computer scientist Younger readers sometimes tell me they have trouble cooking, particularly when it comes to getting everything to the table at the same time. This doesn't surprise me, because I know I certainly had this problem. Can you… Continue reading All-done-at-once cooking
Nora Edinger -- JOY Journal 