It’s lambing season here in the Central Valley. I love driving out in the country and seeing the lambs frolicking with the flock. There’s something so sweet about those little lamb faces. Sheep in a pasture, especially with those precious lambs, just epitomize the absence of stress, the presence of peace. And peace is part of…
My husband and I love to ask our married friends how they met. Many people have fun and inspiring tales, and we love hearing them. I mean, love stories are inspirational, right? Whether your story includes a blind date, friendship turned to love, antagonists becoming sweethearts, or a rollicking romcom (thinking of you, Lorie and Justin!),…
Inspiration can be seen as many things. It can be the ”muse” that figuratively sits softly on your shoulder as you begin creating. When you are inspired to capture the picture that’s in your mind and translate it into art, it’s as if your pencil just glides across the page almost of its own accord,…
If you could live one day of your life over, what day would you choose and why? When I taught Business Ethics at our local community college, I used to ask my students this question. Their answers could be inspiring. The interesting thing about this exercise, to me, was the type of day they chose….
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS UNEXPECTED TIME It’s been a minute, as they say. Most of us didn’t expect the pandemic to last this long. But here we are closing in on a year of fighting this war. I know many states have reopened at least to an extent; but there are some…
As our kids get older and start independent lives and families, they don’t always make it home for Christmas. It happens in the best of families. 😉 But this year feels a little (okay, maybe a lot) different because of restrictions not of our own making that may keep us from gathering all our loved ones around…
Where I live in California is now under a Stay Home mandate again. That means only essential workers, no inside or outside dining (carry out, curbside, or delivery only), no group gatherings, and staying in your own home unless necessary to leave. We had the same mandate in March. Gradually the restrictions lifted then, but…
We know their names. I don’t know how I missed this all my life, but we know the names of the Plymouth colony settlers who were at what we now identify as the first Thanksgiving in 1621. There were only 53 of the original 102 Mayflower passengers who survived the devastating, disease- and starvation-ravaged winter, and…
To the guy standing out in the sun taking my order in the drive-through line at In-N-Out: I see your smile, and I appreciate it! (Side note for those who are In-N-Out deprived: when the lines are long they send someone out to the cars in line to take orders before you get to the…
Raise your hand if your Thanksgiving celebration is going to be different this year. Loved ones may not be able to gather as they usually do, travel may not be a possibility, you may be in a quarantine or lockdown situation—you may even have family members who are fighting or have succumbed to the coronavirus,…