Columns
Happy to be here: Bigger than any one of us
Among Christians, the prayer commonly known as the Lord’s Prayer or the Our Father is well known. I ...
Latest Happy To Be Here
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Called by a scammer
A few weeks ago, I received a disturbing voice mail message. The recorded announcement claimed that permission to ...
Columns
Happy to be here — Waking up
I’ve been watching the world wake up. As the year turns from its winter slumber, it reminds me ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Multiple meanings
Many months ago, on page 42 of my reading ramble through Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition, I encountered ...
Columns
An unfinished project
A year ago, when 2021 was brand new, I set myself a challenge. I planned to read through ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Ladybug, ladybug
A couple weeks ago, I stepped out of my house on a warm, Indian summer day. A ladybug ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
How much is enough?
I’ve recently seen several versions of a funny story about how much garlic should be used in a ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Agricultural teamwork
Last spring, my husband and I decided to transform part of our side yard into a meadow-like collection ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Column – Wondering why
Why is the sky blue? This common question is one I know how to answer, although learning the ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
We are not all OK
When I was in high school, I lost a classmate to suicide. His tragic story incorporated some of ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Despite our heritage, we are all people of the United States
In normal times, the Fourth of July is marked with family gatherings, barbecued feasts and fireworks. The subdued ...
LIFESTYLES
Anticipating better surprises
I dislike surprises. I prefer it when life’s events align with expectations. I’ve noticed that the most common ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Honoring a mothering mindset
Mother’s Day arrives in the U.S. Sunday as the year comes into full bloom. In all 50 states, ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
The hummingbirds are coming
Many people view the approach of April 15 with trepidation as the typical IRS tax deadline looms. Mother ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Reflecting on a year of isolation
When the words “coronavirus” and “COVID” first began appearing in every day vocabulary, my husband and I were ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Books can provide a break from reality
A couple Christmases ago, my husband gave me a coffee mug that declares, “A book a day keeps ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
COLUMN — Waking up to a New Year
I am not a morning person. My husband can go from asleep to awake in an instant, but ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
COLUMN — Let there be peace on Earth
Decorations have sprouted all around town, trees are erected indoors and colorful lights sparkle through the long nights. ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Searching for signs of intelligent life
When I get an opportunity to let people look at the night sky through my binoculars, their first ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Spider webs add seasonal ambiance
Mother Nature has been decorating my yard for Halloween. Because of her exuberant placement of spiders and webs, ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Journeying into the future means taking steps into the unknown
Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Unsheltered, includes the story of a mother who suffers from fear and anxiety. The author ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Look to the sky for a show full of stars
I don’t know what’s on television tonight, but I do know this month is a prime time for ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Close encounters of the wild kind
During extra hours recently spent at home, I have turned my attention to working in the yard and ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Finding enjoyment during this time of staying home
Everyone I know has felt the impact of non-essential business closures, stay-at-home edicts, and social distancing guidelines. For ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Everyday magic in ordinary things
I love stories that include magic. My fascination stretches back to my growing-up years. As a young child, ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
New time plan proposed
Take a look at your watch, your phone or a nearby clock. Some devices may run a bit ...
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Being active helps battle winter’s dreary days
One recent morning, I woke up after a restless night. I hadn’t slept well. I was cold. My ...