Okay, so 2020 wasn’t a great year. But, here are a few things that made a not-so-great year, not-so-bad, in no particular order: Take outOutdoor dining at restaurants (summer)Parks, trails, and sidewalks for walkingBeachesSocial media (a mixed blessing, I know)TV & moviesDeliveryStaying HealthyGarbage pick-up (Odd, you say? After a missed week, when our block was... Continue Reading →
These are dark and disturbing times. Recently, soot laden air from western wildfires further dimmed the darkening skies, as winter slouches towards us. Ominous signs abound--cue the distant drumming. Disease stalks the land. Civil bonds unravel. A sudden change in the weather prematurely forced us into our seasonal cocooning. A pleasant start to the month... Continue Reading →
Health Care is good here in Minnesota if you can get over the hurdles. I have experienced difficulties in access and expenses. In spite of paying for Part B Medicare, and an additional Health Partners monthly premium, almost every encounter with the health care system involves added costs, even for a phone conversation or e-mail... Continue Reading →
My cat, Chocolate, seems to say “Oh, relax, humans, everything is fine." It must be nice to be a cat. The DNC and RNC have been on TV for the past couple of weeks. It's mostly all virtual, due to the COVID pandemic. The DNC nominated Biden and the RNC Trump, of course. We tried... Continue Reading →
"To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" Gather ye Rose-buds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying:And this same flower that smiles to day, To morrow will be dying.The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun, The higher he's a getting;The sooner will his Race be run, And neerer he's to Setting.That Age is best, which is the... Continue Reading →
On May 25th George Floyd lost his life in an act of police violence outside a store located a few blocks from my house. This led to protests and then to rioting, looting, and arson. Now almost two weeks later, as I reflect on subsequent events, I have many reactions. I am sorry for the... Continue Reading →
Working from home and in isolation is business as usual for writers. And time spent (frittered away) on other activities is a constant temptation. There's surfing the Internet, watching TV, gardening, baking, board games., etc. But, sometimes those Internet searches, and the email lists I subscribe to, yield information and inspiration, as well as an... Continue Reading →
April is the cruelest month, according to T.S. Eliot, and so it might be. It is a month of dashed hopes. One day is summer like and the next we are back to winter. This April may be particularly cruel for those who feel trapped inside by the quarantine--worn out by worry and trying to... Continue Reading →
Writing is often compared to gardening. In both endeavors, one starts with something very small—an idea or a seed—nurtures it, cares for it, weeds around it, and hopes that it will grow and flourish. As I began cleaning up my garden, today, I was reminded of a poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins, especially the second... Continue Reading →
I subscribe to a variety of online resources for writers and readers, so good ideas keep popping up in my inbox. Jane Friedman's latest edition of Electric Speed https://mailchi.mp/janefriedman/electric-speed-127?e=95b71133a1 contained several especially good resources. For kids learning at home, Scholastic offers day-by day projects: https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.htmlFor adults, Scribd is offering 30-days of free access to its... Continue Reading →
Bonnie's Books & Things 