Animals are great at leading by example. They listen to their bodies, follow the natural rhythms of the earth and its seasons, and don’t apologize for being themselves. When they’re tired, they nap. When they feel energized, they get the … Read More

  In New Zealand, scones are a thing. (Actually, scones withcoffee or tea are a thing here.) I haven’t tried this recipe, because wehaven’t been anywhere that had the facilities to cook them. Give it a try andlet me know … Read More

On a road trip in which I’m the passenger, I can be blind to a cool car, a tall building, or a sign the size of a barn. But if there’s a critter of any sort on the side of … Read More

  Hans and I have been traveling quite a bit lately, and that includes lots of time sitting next to each other in the car. On one of these trips, we were sparring as we sometimes do, and he said … Read More

Whenever we leave the house—or come back after being away—our dogs serenade us with the most beautiful howls you’ve ever heard. Fred sings bass with his mournful-sounding howls, and Jed and provides percussion with his rhythmic woof, woof, woof, woof. … Read More

I don’t know if y’all noticed, but in last month’s newsletter, some unnecessary commas snuck in. I knew it. I saw them. I even told my newsletter/website guru who formats and posts these things for me that I’d found a … Read More

Whenever anyone asks how I’m doing these days, my answer is always, “I’m as busy as a rat.” Let’s contrast that to a similar statement that I never use: “I’m working like a dog.” Rats are always busy. Whether it’s … Read More

One reason it’s important for writers to do more than write, is that going out into the world gives us ideas. Fodder. Grist for the mill. And you never know when off time will lead to inspiration. This is one … Read More

My mom used to make this all the time; it’s a familiar comfort food from my childhood. (She never told me what a healthy food it was!) It’s so easy to make. Here’s all you need: 4 or five medium-sized … Read More

When Hans and I were out of town recently, the dogs’ schedules were disrupted because while we had house-sitting help, it wasn’t possible for the dogs to go in-and-out-and-in-and-out quite as often as they were used to doing. This meant … Read More