I tried not to give much thought to the fact that it was Friday the 13th when I sat down with a cup of coffee a little over a week ago and began scrolling through my emails. I will admit that, on that day, my eyes glazed over the latest in the growing list of […]
Of Songs and Suppers
“Can we invite Cyndi Lauper over for dinner?” Ula asks. Occasionally, my children’s dim understanding of reality surprises me. I am standing in the kitchen, searing pieces of beef before flicking them in the slow cooker to make a stew for Saturday at the market. She will be accompanying me, even though the forecast […]
The Goose and the Gander
On Sunday, there is a break in the rain. There is a lot we could be doing in that break: painting beehives, knocking back the weeds around the grapes and blueberries, mowing the lawn, taking the girls for a slow amble to one of the nearby ponds, catching up on needed sleep. We are doing […]
Nick and the Porcupine
The first summer we lived here, Bob awoke one night to a chewing sound he heard outside. He went out to investigate. As he shined his light on the door of our shed, a porcupine unabashedly turned and looked at him before returning to his treated lumber supper. Bob tried to yell at him to […]
Reading Accomplishments
Ula was setting out knives and forks for lunch when I took the phone call from the graduate student. Time zone differences had required that we schedule this midday hour to speak, thus I had no choice but to drain the juices off the meatloaf and make gravy while we were on the phone. She […]
The Path of the Sun
The snow still lay thick on the ground outside the window one March morning a few weeks ago as Saoirse struggled over her math lesson. Customarily quick to pick up on each progressive step in the syllabus, on that particular morning, her brain had a mental block on decimals. The muscles on her face were […]
Agrarian Domesticity
Going through my archives in search of apropos essays for re-posting, this one came to the surface. As you can probably sense, it was written during one of my more cynical moments. I am certain many of you can help me revise and update this job description….I’ve yet to have anyone apply! I am still […]
On Turning 40
I turned 40 this past week. Bob knows better than to abrade my spirit with the social stress of a birthday party. My perfect jubilee is one spent cloistered away from the world, allowed to celebrate with the forest, my family, my dogs and my thoughts. Turning 40 has absorbed a lot of […]
Time to Brine
Folks! St. Patty’s day is around the corner…have you got your brisket in your brine yet? Here’s a recipe (taken from p.231 of Long Way On A Little, for those of you who don’t own a copy yet!). I am still chipping away at the new manuscript, and anticipate returning to regularly scheduled Tuesday Posts […]
Humans and Livestock
This story originally ran in 2011. As the subject resurfaces regularly on the internet, I am re-posting it again this week. I am still at work on my latest manuscript, and anticipate a return to regularly scheduled programming in May. Is it possible for animals and people to live together sustainably? Is it possible […]
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