Spring: A Walk Around the Farm

I don’t always spend a Saturday with my husband at home and the sun shining warm… but when I do, it involves something like planting a hundred gladiolas, lilies, hibiscus, and bleeding hearts… and, of course, a walk around the farm to see how everything is doing. We found a newborn calf this morning. While we were out there, my husband dropped off three lick... Read More

Skipping Church

I took a series of photos this morning… Post-Thanksgiving unwinding… I’m naming it: “Justifying Skipping Church” The number of photos is directly proportional to the level of guilt. 😉 “Hello Winter” “With a Bow on Top” “Tinsel” “Sideways Tree in a Gale Storm” “Tree with Hay Bales” “You... Read More

Sweet Potato Haul

“Hey, you have to come outside and see this!” my husband burst through the phone from 30 yards away. Last spring, he happened to see sweet potato slips at a feed store. He planted 20 of them (roots with a little bit of leaf), right next to the tiny, spring version of the annual fall tomato jungle. Sixteen of the 20 plants came up. We ignored them until after the first... Read More

The Boat Builder

I doubt Mom anticipated the production of a sea-faring vessel when she brought out the craft box for my begging daughters Saturday. Boat building is always on the agenda for my dad. We just didn’t realize the condition was genetic! The girls had moved on to other distractions, while my oldest boy kept toiling away at his sail-equipped canoe, probably inspired by the ship... Read More

After Four Years of Blogging, I’m Sure: I’m a Mom

I finished the post below on Monday (except adding pictures). I had tried to veil how frustrated and disappointed I was, because life has become incredibly busy recently. It seemed like the sensible thing to do was end the blog. It has been confusing to sense God leading the exact opposite direction! God specializes in impossibilities, and He is able to make His purposes clear,... Read More

How to Make a Milky Wave (and Other Humiracles)

My just-turned-four-year-old son… crawled up onto the bed one morning a few weeks ago… and delivered the following tale: “MOM!!! I just had the funniest dream about me ‘n’ Yoda! You’n me’n Yoda fought Dark Bader with huge light sabers until he was in tiny pieces, as tiny as a germ. I took his light saber away, and he fell down a hole — AAAAHpffff!!! —... Read More

Coincidental Snails

Some days feel like God is pushing me along… I’ve been training for a 5K and had hoped to participate in my first one within a few weeks. The training started better than expected! But when school let out, things slowed… to a stop. Last week, my husband booted me out the door (as tenderly as possible, of course) to go run! Having a mind of my own, and feeling groggy... Read More

A Dad Can Change a Legacy

I rediscovered this snapshot of my parents last week. I don’t know if I love it more because of my mom’s big smile or because my dad made her feel like smiling like that. Music was playing, which meant my dad had to snatch up a dance partner. Be prepared to twirl across the farmhouse floor, even if you can’t dance! I like this picture, too: my dad playing guitar... Read More

My Own Personal Lorica: Verses for Meditation

Around St. Patrick’s Day, I discovered Loricas — prayers chanted for protection. Literally, “lorica” means “armor” or “breastplate.” St. Patrick had enemies — druid priests — who probably placed curses on him and wanted to kill or enslave him. Hence, the need for protection! (If you missed it, here was my St. Patrick’s... Read More

Poem: To The God Who Can Feel

I am so grateful for the spiritual “watchdogs” in our church. When I returned, after years of being out of church, they helped reground me in biblical beliefs, dispelling quite a bit of painful misunderstanding. But sometimes — in a dash back to my science writing days — I wish I could adjust their “sensitivity and specificity” a little! It is... Read More