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This old house. Smells bad.
This old house. It’s like a new adventure every season. These days are sticky. Humid. 70 degrees at 6 a.m. Our windows are open because we are trying to live without air conditioning for as long as possible. So all that outside stickiness settles right inside. And the wood floors in this house are aged and lovely, filled with their…
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the several days of silence.
Writing this blog plays weird tricks on my brain sometimes. I don’t feel a slave to it, but I do feel an obligation to it. Or something like that. A completely self-imposed obligation, but an obligation nonetheless. And since I usually write a post every day of the week, when I do not, I feel kind of off-balance. Again, all…
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it’s just a little thing . . .
My friend Mandy texted me the other day. “What are you up to?” And my response was something like, “I”m rearranging the game shelf upstairs. I have no idea why.” To which she replied something like, “I know. It’s the little things. I’m thinking I’ll rearrange the living room furniture today.” And I did rearrange the game room shelf. And…
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When The Relatives Came to Town
The title of this post is a title of a Cynthia Rylant children’s book. She’s a great children’s author. Do you know her? She writes a series about Mr. Putter and Tabby. And she wrote a beautiful book called When I Was Young and in the Mountains, which is just my favorite. (Because I love mountains. And I love prose…
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warning, warning: kitten cuteness overload.
Because Secret Agent Pilgrim 101 needed a pal to keep her from being lonely. (And from being hugged into oblivion.) And because we have seen the mouse in our house. That’s why we added a new kitten. (From the same friends, different litter). Oh, and we (I) might have been convinced into getting her because she is so beyond cute.…
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Tricks of the Trade. 3.
Now, I already know, this one won’t work for everyone. Is that a weird disclaimer? Well. There it is anyway. And I’m not going to pretend this is an original idea. It’s not. I read it somewhere else a few years ago. I found the idea intriguing, but not suitable to our family at the time. But now, in this…
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lo-mo
A sister is a little part of childhood that can never be lost. -Marion Gerratty
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the old.
I love a house filled with old. I like the trunks that used to be my grandfather’s and the hat that my dad wore as little boy. My favorite childhood stuffed bear perches on my pillow even now. I like that. Because it connects me Now to Then. I like the old because it’s an open door to tell my…
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the simple beautiful. some more. eureka.
A few facts you may already know: Hawkeye loves birds. Our family is in a season of life where money is . . . uh . . . not free-flowing. God provides in wonderful ways. We have been blessed by having truly generous friends. We have lived in many homes in our sixteen-almost-seventeen years of marriage. (Seven homes. Three states.)…
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Mosely said . . .
“Something smells like it’s burning. Quick, everybody – check your bums.”
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perspective. on grandparents. and distance.
There are people who are blessed to live near their extended family. I have friends who regularly are privileged to have Grandma babysit at no cost! When they plan an overnight stay sans children, they just let the kids have a slumber party with Grandpa and Grandma, who live down the street, across town, within an hour’s drive. But those…
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if you were wondering . . .
Yes. We do have enough children to play our own birthday party games together. But sometimes we invite a pal over anyway.
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happy birthday son.
“What do you want to do on your birthday Otto?” “Hunt crickets.” Happy birthday three.




































