I sit at my dining table looking out at my patio garden that is bare--except for the scattering of leaves I need to rake. Birds fly to my feeder, grateful that I just loaded it with a rich blend of seeds and peanuts, something to suit the taste of multiple species and the squirrel who … Continue reading Letting Christmas Go
creativity
The White Christmas of Childhood
Christmas is a season of remembering. The older we become the more we work to recall those earliest memories that have grown fuzzy and faded over time. As I watched the local evening news this week, every night included the weatherman's predictions for snow and if we'd have a White Christmas in central North Carolina. … Continue reading The White Christmas of Childhood
Artist’s Residency: A Gift of Grace
This summer heat has reminded me of 2016 when my solo journey was two weeks at an artist's residency. I applied and was accepted to Artcroft https://artcroft.org a sixty-six acre Kentucky farm and working space for artists of various mediums. The application was lengthy and required several references. Not only would I work on a … Continue reading Artist’s Residency: A Gift of Grace
Internal Pilgrimage: Plunging into Mystery
In the last two posts, I've explored aspects of the internal pilgrimage that we're all walking using Christine Walter's Paintner's gifts of embracing doubt. ( p112, Ch. 7, "The Practice of Embracing the Unknown" The Soul of a Pilgrim: Eight Practices for the Journey Within ) When thinking about mystery, I considered why it is … Continue reading Internal Pilgrimage: Plunging into Mystery
Cycle of Life: A Time to Plant
We're almost to mid-April and the official end of the threat of frost in central North Carolina. My grandmother consulted the Farmer's Almanac for advice on planting and now I consult with my Master Gardener, Brother-in-Law, Winslow. He recommends putting things in the ground after April 15th. To prepare for planting, I bought my seed … Continue reading Cycle of Life: A Time to Plant
Happy 400th Post!
This is the 400th post on this blog that started in May of 2017. When I began, I wasn't thinking too far into the future; it was just a response to the advice given at a writers' conference. The general consensus was writers needed a platform and having samples of your work on a blog … Continue reading Happy 400th Post!
The Gift of Time: Precious Moments with a Child
At Christmas, one of the things I gave each grandson was an "event with Grammy." This followed from asking my son, Brooks for suggestions on what to buy his boys. Brooks responded, "Give them a special time one-on-one with you." There are days during the year that I have time with each one alone--when they're … Continue reading The Gift of Time: Precious Moments with a Child
2024: The Year of Finding Your Tribe
This year I've decided to become part of two "tribes" or communities of people with common interests. While I've had individual interest in each area, it feels like being in a tribe is like having a broad network of interesting people who play different roles in each community. Four years ago, a guy I met … Continue reading 2024: The Year of Finding Your Tribe
Underpromising: Accepting Each Day as It Comes
Last Monday I set down my goals, my intentions for the week. One of those was to continue my preparation for my Camino journey this summer. I wanted to increase my time of hiking from two to three hours. It seemed reasonable at the beginning of the week to do that twice---given the other things … Continue reading Underpromising: Accepting Each Day as It Comes
Finding the Beauty of Winter
Yesterday was what might be called a "miserable day" in our area of North Carolina; a gray, rainy, chilled-to-the-bone Saturday that could make you pull up the covers and stay in bed. Some areas of the country were blanketed in bright white snow, which while posing more road hazards and threatening electricity outages, can brighten … Continue reading Finding the Beauty of Winter
Connie Rosser Riddle 