Santa and I have a gift for you I invite you to Join me each week this month (December 2025) on my podcast (firefly’s Hatful of Yarns) as I embark on an immersive journey through the entire original text of Charles Dickens’ timeless and enchanting story, A Christmas Carol. The podcast is free, requiring no […]
A few of my favorite things (Listen to the extended version of this blog post on my podcast today!) As I write, glancing up to the window overlooking the farm, I see snow falling quietly, gently as it has been off and on since Sunday afternoon. Our autumn has been the longest-lasting, most breathtaking autumn
Hello again … again Read Post »
How not to grow daylilies, and other insights Listen to the companion podcast today! Many years ago, I worked for my father in his bold venture: a movie production company in Hollywood. With no experience as a professional writer, playwright, or producer, he dove in headfirst, chasing a dream as audacious as it was inspiring.
Attack of the garden Read Post »
So help me Cod In many families, there is a character who is larger than life. Our family had such a character in my oldest brother, Dan. He was not perfect. He was not infallible, but our memories of him are perfect and delightful. His personality was definitely larger than life, with storytelling abilities, a
Nothing but the trout … Read Post »
My neighbors’ brush with disaster A few days ago, I watched in horror from my driveway as my Amish neighbor’s four draft horses took off on their own, dragging their huge produce wagon on a wild and scary adventure. I had stepped outside with Charlie so he could do his morning business when the excitement
Posting and podcasting again next week Just a quick note here. With Memorial Day being this week’s Monday, I won’t be posting a blog or recording a podcast session this week. I will post and podcast faithfully each week, publishing both on Thursday mornings, as has been my schedule so far. The only exception will
A Memorial Day break Read Post »
We transformed the farm land to pasture when we tried our hand at raising Black Angus cows about ten years ago. Back then the land was in pretty rough shape …
Out and about with Charlie boy Read Post »
Thoughts on intentional living A few days ago, someone posted on social media about a mockingbird singing outside her bedroom window every morning at 5:30 a.m. for two weeks straight. Highly annoyed, she complained that the mockingbird was making her acutely resent all songbirds. My thought, however, was that mockingbird must have been provided by
When mockingbirds sing Read Post »
Available in audio on my Hatful of Yarns podcast –> click or scroll down. Mom, this one’s for you “The arts and skills of woman, the creation and inspiration of which she is capable and which, here and there in isolated places in our culture, she still manages to effect in spite of the ruin
The arts and skills of woman Read Post »
And going with the flow Years ago, my sister-in-law served tea using a beautiful collection of mismatched teacups she’d bought at a garage sale. I admired her set for being more interesting—story and all—than a matching one, so I hoped to one day find a similar set. At the time, I was staying in Denver
