“Morsels of Mischief” by father-daughter team Tom and Chris McClarren offers a full meal of detailed and evocative memories of an unusual childhood in a Catholic orphan home. Filled with tensions as well as sweet and bitter-sweet memories, these Orphan Tales escape nostalgia and sentimentality by their honesty and the directness of Tom McClarren’s voice….
It’s been no time at all since Pop’s return from the hospital. We can say two things for certain: First, he’s still his indomitable self, blessing the world a little longer with his presence: playing music, finding the true game in hide-and-seek with his 8 year-old great grand daughter (namely…pretend not to find, while clearly…
Over at the Story Circles Network blog “Tellilng HerStories: The Broad View,” I’ve just posted my first article in a new series on creativity. This newest theme is on creative cycles. I post in groups of three: Keynote post followed by two posts deepening the topic. Come on over and join the conversation in the…
Photo from www.1920s-fashions.co.uk/reddress.htm I mention the racial demographics of these three events to point out the segregated nature (still!) of St. Louis life, especially social life. ORCHIDS AT THE MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN.Friday night at the Missouri Botanical Garden Orchid Show, member night…through March 15, 2009. “Henry’s Garden” features 800 orchids from one of the world’s…
“If you’re happy and you know it…clap your hands. If you’re happy and you know it…stamp your feet.” And so forth, goes my favorite kindergarten song. Janet Muirhead Hill tagged me for this “Happy Meme”. As she says, “It’s simple. I only have to list six things that make me happy. Well, maybe not so…
Valerie’s review rating: 5 of 5 stars bookshelves: highly-recommend status: Read in July, 2008 Janet Grace Riehl writes with the honesty, openness and heart of someone who deeply loves life, but is not shy at hitting, straight on, the messes we have to clean up or the sorrows we must bear. Her collection, “diary” as…
In the hospital Pop received callers–visitors and staff–as if he were a host in an elegant drawing room clad in a dressing gown instead of hospital regulation. But, the last night before he left after a 5 1/2 day stay, he didn’t sleep until 4 p.m. “It’s the strain of it all,” he told me….
On midnight of January 6th, in a specially convened session of Parliament, the bi-carmel house switched sides, signaling a transfer of power. On January 7th, the day I arrived back in the United States, President John Evans Atta Mills was formally inaugurated as President. I was there for the duration of the elections. On the…
Ron Gregory organized a marvelous evening. I, as usual in polarized racial St. Louis (goodness!), was pretty much the only white folk there. But, luckily, I feel comfortable. After five years in Africa surrounded by Africans, this is no novelty. Came with a friend. Sat at mostly an all-woman table…really nice woman. Mostly boomers. For…
I spent yesterday at the hospital with my father (who experienced a small heart attack early Sunday morning) and my niece, Diane, who holds his medical records with meticulous care and kindness. We have a division of family labor in creating a team to support my father’s ability to live alone. The medical portfolio belongs…