The Vanity in my Makeup 

“There are no grades of vanity, there are only grades of ability in concealing it.” Mark Twain, Notebook, 1898 I’ve been distracted lately, uncomfortably so. Newscasters, celebrities, models in magazines, even those who are never in a spotlight, have me wondering why everyone is so glow-y. Their bronzed faces and merging strips of illuminator with…

A Richly Textured Life

Must the rough always be made smooth? Or so it appears in life, or at least with our public facades and selfies. In art texture with all its diversities is noted as one of the seven basic elements of art, valued for its smooth and rough, its many values (more about that later). In truth, in…

The capacity to care is the thing which gives life its deepest significance. Pablo Casals, cellist

We live in a land where children live abused and neglected. We have many services through our DHS and law enforcement officers along with community organizations working overtime with too few funds. They can only do so much because thousands of children live in our area with predators and abusers lurking . So what can…

Gossip is not a lovely trait.

Proverbs 11:13 A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Proverbs 16:28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Proverbs 17:4 Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander. In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations Proverbs 20:19 A gossip goes around…

The Art of Picking Blueberries

“You missed one,” Bill says, pointing above my head and a bit over to the left. “No, I didn’t,” I say, squatting low on our patio. “I have a system, an imaginary grid. That way I don’t miss any.” I’m talking about picking blueberries from the five bushes in our container garden. Over the past…