)))))@((((( Before I opened my eyes this morning, I heard the bleep of my phone’s text announcement. I thought the text might be from my friend Tee, who is an early riser and texter. She knows me to be the same. I quickly glanced at the clock, thinking I had…
As I get older, I find I need more time to acclimate to the next season. That’s why I’ve designated the last few days of August as That Time to Acclimate to the Next Season, which in this case is Fall… or Autumn, the season with two names. In the…
In the world of acquiring food, I am happy to be assigned the gatherer designation. Most times this means I head to my favorite grocery stores and explore the many possibilities. Then I return from my gathering and switch to magic mode. All this foodstuff I have purchased must be…
As I hoisted my pack up over my shoulders and slid it into place on my back, I considered myself lucky to have survived the night. I was heading out on The Wild Azalea Trail, just south of Alexandria, Louisiana, for a three-day backpacking trip. It was a relief to…
I recently spent a week in Maine, in a town with deep family roots. My mother grew up there, as did all of her family before her. I can point out to my own little tribe the place where I lived as a toddler and the spots where our family…
>>>>>+<<<<< A few years back, when I turned on my stove and it made a loud bang, I knew I was in for a day of making phone calls and looking online for a new one. The stove would not comply with my entreaties and gentle ministrations. Though I still…
My husband and I have been sending our dog Mindy to our pet sitter’s house one weekend a month in order to get her used to the idea that we may wish to take a vacation without her sometime. After about four months of this, it suddenly dawned on us…
When the visiting rabbi said, “Focus on the bagel and not the hole,” we all chuckled. Quietly, of course, we were grownups in church. We knew exactly what he meant. Savor what is at hand. Enjoy what you have and don’t dwell on what you don’t have. I think of…
Today I offer you a couple of little stories from the Ethel archives. I enjoy writing down almost every thing that pops into my head. This is a useful trait as sometimes I can incorporate these delightful anecdotes into a longer piece for the blog. Then there are these thoughts…
At 5 in the afternoon on Thursday, I was silently resting in Savasana (aka Corpse Pose), serenely allowing the tension in my muscles to drift downward into the floor below me, when I suddenly bolted upright. I’d missed my library book club meeting! After 30 years of practicing yoga, I…