A Tale of Two Kauffmans and Two Spirits
There are two landmarks in Kansas City named after city benefactors Ewing and Muriel Kauffman. Actually, there are more than two, but this post focuses on Kauffman Stadium and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, both of which are on my mind this week. The Kansas City Royals baseball team was once owned by […]
Back to Research: Oregon Land Laws in the 1840s
The reason most settlers went to Oregon was because they could claim free land. In my first Oregon Trail novel, Lead Me Home, all I needed to know about the Oregon land laws was that settlers could file land claims once they got there. But in the sequel I am working on now, which takes place […]
A Halloween Spin
As I’ve written before, I don’t usually dress up in costume on Halloween. But one year I did. It was the year my daughter wore a homemade clown costume, a hand-me-down from her cousin. When I told a friend at work that my daughter was going to be a clown, she volunteered she had an […]
Two Autumns in New England
When I attended Middlebury College in the mid-1970s, the school had a long weekend without classes in October each year. The weekend typically occurred near the height of the spectacular autumn colors, though, of course, the peak colors could never be predicted precisely. I can’t recall whether the weekend was called “Parents’ Weekend” or “Fall […]
How I Launched My Writing Career
Almost exactly ten years ago, in late September 2005, I attended a three-day diversity training program in Toronto. The program, called “Women Supporting Women”, was sponsored by Procter & Gamble. Most of the attendees were P&G employees, though they had a few guests there like me. The women attending the program learned about each other […]
My Novel, Lead Me Home, Is Now Published!
Ever since this blog’s inception, I have posted that I was writing a historical novel about travel along the Oregon Trail. My novel is finally published! Lead Me Home: Hardship and hope on the Oregon Trail is now available on Amazon in either paperback or Kindle formats and on Barnes & Noble in the Nook format. I […]
A Summary of Haunting Books for 2015
In past years, each October I have used this blog to review books that I’ve found “haunting” during the year. But this month I have other things I want to write about, so this will be the only post on haunting books this year. I’ve read a bunch of them. I reviewed Go Set a […]
My Grandfather’s Clock, My Memory, and the Passing of Generations
I’ve written before about my grandfather’s clock. It is now ticking away in my house, after two service calls from a local firm that repairs antique clocks. The clock worked after the first service call, but just a few days later my husband and I left town for two weeks. When I got back, I […]
Time for Lentil Soup
As autumn approaches each year, I think about soup. I will eat soup any time of year, but on cool evenings, it is sustaining and comforting. Add bread and salad, and you’re ready to eat. I make most of my soups in a crock pot, so it’s a quick and easy dinner (though does require […]
A Question I Will Never Answer: Who Was My Mother?
In the fifteen months since my mother’s death, I’ve spent a lot of time wondering who she was. Actually, I wondered this for years before she died as well. I know the basic facts of her life, but who was this woman in her heart and soul? I think my sister and I both wonder […]