Starry Nights, Star-Crossed Lives, & Optimism in the Face of Overwhelming Grief

Literature and the arts are filled with references to stars and fate. Vincent Van Gogh painted nights blazing with stars. On cloudless nights, stars light our skies, symbolizing beauty, hope–and tragedy. Are we doomed to be star-crossed or are stars our guides? I like to think stars simply symbolize hope when all seems lost.  Grief… Continue reading Starry Nights, Star-Crossed Lives, & Optimism in the Face of Overwhelming Grief

Walking in Winter Wonderlands . . .

  When frosted windows, frigid air, and a flurry of snowflakes signal winter, I want to hibernate– Drink tea, read, and write by a cozy fire. But the more I hibernate, the more restless I get. A card on my bulletin board quotes Franz Kafka:  ‘You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at… Continue reading Walking in Winter Wonderlands . . .

Ode to Autumn, Country Fairs, and Charlotte’s Web

Each October, I visit the Topsfield Fair. Fairs are wondrous, tying us in with traditions and our agricultural roots. Adorable bunnies, cavies (guinea pigs), chicks, sheep, piglets, and dignified llamas, cows, and horses abound. We cheer on the pig races, ride the ferris wheel, admire the prize-winning pumpkin, and visit the cozy bee building with its hives, candle-making, and honey. Our… Continue reading Ode to Autumn, Country Fairs, and Charlotte’s Web