A Quiet Corner of a Busy World
The light filters in through two square 9-pane windows, north facing, capturing the longest light of the day. There is another larger window on the east wall, which brought in the morning light at an earlier hour. The lace curtains leave dappled patterns on the vintage rug worked with pink, peach, and blue flowers. The [...]
In August, I decided to take advantage of a nice evening and gather some wildflower while they were still available. I obtained a flower press at a yard sale last year, but hadn't had an opportunity to use it yet. The instructions said to gather mid afternoon on a completely dry day. Well, I can't [...]
It has been such a beautiful fall week! I've been enjoying looking around everywhere as I walk, hike, or drive. I'm listening to the wind rustling through the leaves and delighting in the feeling of fresh breezes and the crumbly scent of old plants laying down for the winter. I'm also wrapping up some art [...]
A short fictional story “Don’t worry, Mr. and Mrs. Henderson. I have your numbers and I’ll keep my phone with me.” “Ok, thanks. Let’s go, honey,” Dad pulled Mom’s sleeve. Mom squeezed Adelyn, who was busy playing with her toes, and then me. “Please listen to Miss Jessica, ok, Ginny? Ask for permission first, right?” [...]
No, I’m not talking about theologically conservative gardening tools. Around the time Jane Austen was writing, there was a literary motif which became a cliché that is still seen in many books and films even today, the theme of the reformed rake. A rake was a man “after only one thing,” known for immoral relationships [...]
September 22nd: Bilbo Baggins' birthday...and Frodo Baggins' birthday... and the first day of fall this year! I was first introduced to the idea of celebrating Hobbit day about ten years ago when an acquaintance at college celebrated with snacks, reading, tree climbing, and generally enjoying the day. When I moved into the Carriage House, I [...]
Last fall, I heard James Paul, the director of L’Abri Fellowship in the UK, speak at an online conference. In his lecture, he mentioned a few points from his book, What On Earth Is Heaven?. I knew immediately I wanted to buy it. It was on back order most of the year, but I was [...]
This year, as most of the house projects were complete, I had more time to invest in the garden. In the spring, I pulled up the rest of the fast-growing vinca (which is pretty for places where not much else will grow but a waste in a full-sun plot) and began to move around and [...]
The irony overwhelmed me Sunday after Sunday. I was experiencing a dark season of depression. Meanwhile, the church I was attending played The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir’s Psalm 34 nearly every time we gathered for worship. It’s a powerful song, based out of a beautiful psalm. But at the time, it made my heart ache. O [...]
My imagination was sparked recently by reading essays by J.R.R. Tolkien and G.K. Chesterton about fairytales and reading Genesis 3 with a friend. When I hear the story of Genesis 3, I usually envision a snake talking to Eve, perhaps an exotic snake, big and bright, but just a snake. However, a passage toward the [...]
Welcome To The Carriage House 