Long may she wave

July 4, 2013January 6, 2015 ~ Tara R. ~ 11 Comments

I take my freedoms for granted and complain when things aren’t easy or free. But I have a warm home to live in, cabinets full of food, books and music to enjoy. I can walk down my street in peace, rant about my government without fear, rail against an unjust world, and sleep with my … Continue reading Long may she wave

Big bad George

July 3, 2013January 9, 2018 ~ Tara R. ~ 19 Comments

As much as I complain about my menfolk's tendancies toward packrattery, I have to confess that I am reluctant to part with possessions too. Tucked away in a secret place in my bedroom closet, I keep my childhood comfort toy. This is George. George has been with me since I was about five. He was … Continue reading Big bad George

A slow burning fuse

July 3, 2013January 6, 2015 ~ Tara R. ~ 10 Comments

It didn’t start out all fireworks and loud-speaker marching band music. The fire kindled tentatively. A cautious and shy blaze, a tiny tickle in my stomach. That funny feeling that comes when a car goes over a rise in the road too fast. No roller coaster drop of frightening apprehension, but a perfect shiver from … Continue reading A slow burning fuse

Uncultivated simplicity

July 2, 2013January 6, 2015 ~ Tara R. ~ 45 Comments

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

Epidemic proportions

July 1, 2013January 5, 2015 ~ Tara R. ~ 28 Comments

There is currently no proven vaccine, no federal funding for medical research, and no media onslaught of concerned scientists. Nevertheless, the condition is a troubling and widespread epidemic. Seemingly limited to a narrow generation and gender demographic - young males ages 14 to 25 - the complaint crosses all socio-economic boundaries, affecting several ethnic and … Continue reading Epidemic proportions

Raising teens

June 28, 2013January 7, 2015 ~ Tara R. ~ 37 Comments

There are three encouragements to surviving raising teenagers. The first is IT gets better. The second is it GETS better. And the third is it gets BETTER.