Dad joined the Army because he had a sense of duty and was willing to give his life for his country ... he was a sort of ambassador ... He protected and enhanced the image of Americans and shared a more positive side of war with the folks back home. He’s my hero.

Dolly Parton is inspirational, particularly her focus on developing reading skills and a love of reading by providing books for young children. How can a writer not love her for that?

What I’d wanted most for my birthday was alone time with my two sons and they were taking me skydiving. Along with aging has come more angst about heights and most things that remove my feet from the ground. However, as the family matriarch, I had a reputation to maintain so I readily agreed. 

A stroke happens so suddenly and most can be prevented. Know what the signs are, how to prevent it (most can be prevented) and then go ahead and live your life fully!

Earlier this month, I called my sis to acknowledge the anniversary of Mom’s passing seven years ago. Sis was on a long car ride so it was...

Dad wrote letters every day during his WWII service. It brought peace and some normalcy when a cathartic release was inappropriate.

Celebrating the road to 70 by buying a new car so I can hit the road and travel safely. Ode to a great 17 years with the old one.

When I read my daily One Good Fact email from Encyclopedia Britannica, I had a sudden urge to call Mom and share it with her.  She would...

To my children, this is not news.  I’m the older generation and they don’t hesitate to remind me. This hit hard when I recently lost a...

I've hit another milestone in writing my historical novel or hybrid fiction-nonfiction-memoire. Four Beta readers have it to read and...

Along the back wall of the largest Asian market in Falls Church, Virginia, was a meat section where they sold live bullfrogs. When I...

Long before reading Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White (I never kill spiders), I realized every living thing is on earth for a reason (even...

The bird sounds at 6:00 a.m. are impressive this time of year. I hear babies and mothers, calls from down the street and from high up in...

I dropped Leah off at doggy day care and the cheerful woman at the Hot Paws desk said, “Happy Birthday Leah!” “Oops, forgot her...

Recently my siblings, one of my nieces, and I had an adventure outside Gainesville that we’re still talking about. We visited Carson...

My writing mentor, Richard, finally got through to me. I needed to remove sections of my book draft that were out of sync with the point...

When I was with a group of women who were all about my age, one of them (the youngest and not yet a grandparent) asked what our...

August is a no TV month for me. Unless there is an important news bulletin, a hurricane (necessitating weather watching), or something...

There I was, in 90-degree heat at four o’clock in the afternoon on top of a hill with no trees nearby, barely any clouds, hundreds of...

A friend mentioned how often I quote my mother and it caused me to think about why. In day-to-day living, she had more influence over me...