"Summer afternoon -- summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." Henry James, American novelist Miles, our Appalachian porch dog, is sound asleep in the window seat next to me. This time, thank God, he has his back to the window instead of the hardwood floor… Continue reading Let sleeping dogs lie
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.
Small-town dreams
Well, I was born in a small town And I live in a small town Probably die in a small town Oh, those small communities. John Mellencamp, American rocker Some books are a delightful dream. Take Martin Walker's The Dark Vineyard, for example. The food, the cadence of rural French life, the unfolding of a justice… Continue reading Small-town dreams
Just breathe
"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it." Sydney J. Harris, Chicago journalist It's that time of year again. The time when, if I don't concentrate, my breaths tend to come in short gasps. "Breathe, Nora," I have told myself several times just this morning. The cause of all this air… Continue reading Just breathe
Winners and losers
“In a time of destruction, create something.” Maxine Hong Kingston, Chinese-American author The tally is in. The intense highs and lows of last winter have taken out one climbing rose, one butterfly bush, three lavenders, one hosta and one lemon balm. Most surprising was the lemon balm, which is, oddly enough, a mint even though… Continue reading Winners and losers
Summer-sun vinaigrette
"Hunger is the best sauce." Socrates Food should taste good. It just should. That's what I keep telling our daughters when they're tempted to eat things that come out of wrappers that crinkle. With the exception of chocolate and Combos, which are clearly God's gift to the snack-food world, most food is at its best… Continue reading Summer-sun vinaigrette
Nora Edinger -- JOY Journal 