spiritual life

On Advent, 10 foot tall Bumbles and blinging all the way

There was a season not long ago when the mention of Christmas brought the same snarl to my heart as a child opening a shaker of glitter in my kitchen would. Why? Just why? "Festival of Consumption," I grumbled inwardly while outwardly going through the motions expected of the mother of small children. Then I… Continue reading On Advent, 10 foot tall Bumbles and blinging all the way

family life, spiritual life

The Power of Oranges

There was a time in the 1900s -- beginning by at least the Great Depression and ending sometime in the late 1980s -- when brown paper bags filled with fruit, nuts and candy were a thing in the low-church world. On the last service before Christmas Day, each person in attendance (including babies) received a… Continue reading The Power of Oranges

family life, gardening

Serendipity & Sorrel

A whopper container on our deck has somehow become a buffet for wild things. It started out innocently enough as a pot full of violas and pansies. They were the first deck flowers of the growing season, strategically placed where I could see them from the kitchen window. As the garden marched into summer, however,… Continue reading Serendipity & Sorrel