My journal of big words and pretty pictures
A well-dressed couple sat across the desk from me. I sensed an air of sadness surrounding the man, but the woman's face was a study in emotions - aggravation mixed with glee - like wet confetti at a New Year's Day parade. "What sort of trouble has she gotten into this time?" The woman crossed her … Continue reading Clean up on aisle five
Rosemary lived alone in a crude shack at the end of a neighborless dirt road, on a tiny scrub acre of rocky soil. Each spring, she worked her meager garden, breaking up dry earth with her broken-handled hoe, leaving meandering furrows in uneven rows. Her apron pockets filled with dried seeds and kernels from last … Continue reading Uncultivated simplicity
A long trip north to my ancestral home for an unexpected funeral, gave me a bittersweet chance to reconnect with the Yankee half of my family after a 20-year absence. Amazingly, I recognized them all. Everyone had changed physically, but I knew immediately who they were once we hugged. It was like we are all … Continue reading That talk
Hanging from the tree house railing, impatiens swing in the breeze. His mother, standing at the edge of the pine needles, discovered the bones of a child wrapped in a pink blanket.
The manor, boarded up since Gram passed, showed signs of neglect. Porch risers creaked menacingly. Window panes, cracked and begrimed with age, blinked against the rising sun. My keys refused to cooperate, thwarting efforts to unlock the front doors. With a final, violent shove, ancient tumblers flipped. Grating on rusted hinges, the massive oak entry … Continue reading Homecoming
“There wasn't some family willing to do this?” Beverly came with me to inventory Capt. Roth’s house. “He had a daughter, but she hadn’t talked to him in years, and she didn’t want anything to do with all of this.” I stifled a sneeze. The dust we were raising was killing my nose. A retired … Continue reading Buoyancy of life
Thin spiral notebook 