As a 1970’s Caverna Elementary School student in Horse Cave, Kentucky I did what all kids across the state did every Friday. I went to the cafeteria for fish stick day. “The teacher lines up the whole third grade. Ooh Ahh Yum Yum It’s lunchtime now and we can’t wait Ooh Ahh Yum Yum Friday’s … Continue reading Fish Stick Day
Float: A New Adventure in Self-Care
I was in a funk. The perpetual “Groundhog Day” way of living and the February weather had me down. My friend Tina suggested a float in a sensory deprivation tank with 1,000 pounds of Epsom salt. “Water is good for transitions,” she said. “Twenty minutes in Epsom salt detoxes and balances you.” I regularly take … Continue reading Float: A New Adventure in Self-Care
First Sign of Spring
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it.” Shug Avery in Alice Walker’s “The Color Purple” “The quality of life is in proportion, always, to the capacity for delight. The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention.” Julie Cameron
Greatness
The starter’s pistol fires and a 400-meter sprint trial is under way in the Barcelona Stadium during the 1992 Olympic Games. One of the sprinters grabs the back of his leg in obvious pain. He takes a few excruciating steps in his lane to avoid falling into the path of an oncoming sprinter before collapsing … Continue reading Greatness
Time Out
Something unexpected happened. Nashville rarely gets more than a dusting of snow and it rarely lasts more than a day. Our last major ice storm was in 1995. Sunday started with freezing mist & fog which progressed to sleet and freezing rain. And COLD! This area is a series of hills. It does not matter … Continue reading Time Out
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
February is the worst month on the calendar. My dislike began in third grade when someone thought it would be a good idea to teach rural Kentucky children to spell phonetically. As a result I still misspell February as I do not hear nor pronounce the “r”. I find the second month of the year … Continue reading Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Bowie Nature Park
Late Saturday night Middle Tennessee was gifted with a dusting of snow. After donning my rarely used Cuddle Duds as a base layer and filling a thermos with my morning London Fog, I loaded Jolene and headed out for a Sunday adventure. The trees looked as if they had been lightly painted to create a … Continue reading Bowie Nature Park
Volunteer Trail
In a year of challenge, I spent the summer of 2020 on the water. With summer travel plans cancelled, my vacation days became long weekends. I was on my paddle board at least once a week, but two or three paddles a week was not unusual. Paddling is more fun with company, so I have … Continue reading Volunteer Trail
Care
On weekdays I set my alarm for 4:45 a.m. Early morning is about care. Walking the pup around the neighborhood and feeding her is care. Yoga and meditation is care. Nourishing food to take to the office is care. All of these activities are non-negotiable. Self-care is not a luxury nor is it self-indulgent behavior. … Continue reading Care
Redbud
We were touring the skeletal remains of corn fields in search of Sandhill Cranes, but we did not hear any bugle calls or see large birds in flight. It seemed the winter visitors had already migrated to their next residence. Occasionally a fleck of ice would mix with the drizzle hitting the windshield of the … Continue reading Redbud
