The Red Tent

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

I recently recommended this book to a friend and in doing so was reminded of what a rare gem it is.  I don’t think I had read even a paragraph in before I was struck dumb by the smoothness of Diamant’s writing.  I don’t know how else to explain it.  It was like poetry, if prose could be poetry.  It was like floating ribbons of words carrying you effortlessly along the rolls and swells of an engrossing story.  I often found myself stopping to read a sentence two or three times over, just to enjoy the sound of it in my ear, the feel of it in my mouth.

The Relativity of Time

The Holidays flew by just as fast as I knew they would.  And considering we’re already in the middle of January, the trend appears to be continuing into the new year.  But before we get too far along, I wanted to share some photos from the Holidays.

For a Full Life There is Still Grieving

In early December my Gramma Florrie passed away.  She was 94 years old and my last living grandparent.  She was kind, and generous, witty and loved her family.  At her memorial service everyone was offered the chance to share a few memories about her.  I can remember visits to her condo in New Jersey, telling jokes to one another and rolling with laughter.  She usually told the same jokes to me over and over, and I am not sure if it’s because she liked them so much or because I kept requesting them.  But either way, our laughter will always be one of my most lovely memories of her.

Merry Merry!

Tonight I will finally finish up the last of the gift-buying for friends and family!  It actually wasn’t too bad this year.  I started early, which helped make the season seem longer and less frazzled.  I still managed to get down to the wire on a few things though.  For who?  I’m not telling!

Was I Dreaming That?

Have you ever had one of those dreams where something bad is happening, like a fire, and it seems so real that when you wake up you can’t shake the feeling that it was all just a dream?  There is that fleeting moment between sleep and semi-consciousness when you can’t fully distinguish reality and you think there’s a very slight chance that what you were dreaming might actually be happening.  Well, that happened to me a few weeks ago.  Except after that bizarre moment of quasi-lucidity, the dream didn’t go away.

The Tradition Continues…

Last year we started a tradition of cutting our own Christmas tree.   We had so much fun that I could hardly wait for this year’s hunt for the perfect tree.

Horses I Have Known – Part 1: Fancy

I have been meaning to write this series for a very long time.  Because Ben and I are currently at a crossroads in our lives, the time seems right to finally finish it.  Crossroads tend to make you take stock of things, analyze your life and put things in a different order than they were in when circumstances were mundane.  Crossroads are also a place where you have to make a choice.  I am hoping that by looking back, remembering what it is I love most, I will find strength to make the right choices for our future.

Wine Tour and Murder Mystery

Sometimes last minute plans turn out to be way better than anything you could have tried to arrange over the course of weeks.   Normally I would never admit to this, being the highly ordered planner that I am.  (I admit that I have actually added something I’ve already done to my to-do list just for the satisfaction of crossing it off.)  But the weekend we spent celebrating our 2 year anniversary was undeniable evidence that spontaneous can be far more fun than itineraries.  On a bit of a whim, we signed up for a wine tour, made last minute reservations at a Bed & Breakfast and escaped into the country for a weekend all to ourselves!

Autumn Festivities

I’ve said before how much I love it when my parents come out for a visit.  This weekend was another wonderful example of why.  New York is beautiful in the Fall, I must admit.  The brisk weather, sweaters and scarves, the rich colors are irresistible.  The weather cooperated with us for the most part, and I even took Monday off to extend the weekend.  It was  perfect weekend to spend with my family!

Needs a Good Home: Dandelion’s Story

Well, it’s October.  That means it’s time to winterize stuff.  The motorcycle, the lawn mower, my parents.  Mom and Dad will be heading to Florida for the impending doom…I mean winter.  Sadly, that means that they will have to find another home for one of their cats, Dandelion.  Don’t be fooled by the name.  He’s no flower.  If you’re a sissy then he’s not the cat for you.  However, if you can bench more than 70 pounds and wear a lot of leather, then you’ve met your match.  Dandelion, albeit a tad rough around the edges, is friendly and enjoys the company of humans.  He loves to be pet and will always greet you at the door with a hello and a hefty shove to the knee area which is his version of a welcome home rub.