Lifestyles
Watching humanity’s giant leap
In 1969, my family moved to a small beachside community less than an hour’s drive south of Cape ...
Lifestyles
Mail by any other name
I can recall a time when the daily arrival of mail created excitement. During my early elementary school ...
Lifestyles
An open window
One of spring’s many joys is the renewed ability to open windows. All winter long, I’ve had my ...
Lifestyles
Putting an end to war
Since moving to Farmville, I’ve learned that Civil War recollections take center stage every April. During my school ...
Lifestyles
A decade
The dictionary says a decade is something in a group of 10, often 10 years. Chunks of time ...
Lifestyles
Climbing the steps
I remember standing with my children waiting for the school bus to come. In mid-winter, the mornings were ...
Lifestyles
Bundle up and look up
The moon has a special surprise in store. On the night of Jan. 20, and sliding across midnight, ...
Lifestyles
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings
“Merry Christmas!” is a traditional greeting heard on many lips this time of year. I, myself, offer it ...
Lifestyles
Learning the wisdom of gratitude
One of my favorite hobbies is sleeping in on Saturday mornings, especially during those wee hours before the ...
Lifestyles
Ghosts from my past
A couple of months ago, the Waterworks Players announced auditions for a forthcoming production of “Blithe Spirit,” a ...
Lifestyles
The valuation game
A recent post making its rounds on social media was probably supposed to be motivational. I found its ...
Lifestyles
Bipeds in a cage
Trees surround my home on three sides. A small yard serves to separate the walls from the wilds. ...
Lifestyles
Let me read your shirt
One of summer’s subtle joys is the unwrapping— losing the woolen shell required to combat winter’s chill—to reveal ...
Columns
Time for exams
All around Farmville, students are preparing for final exams. In a show of support, I’d like to offer ...
Columns
Signs of spring
Early last month, I had a conversation with a winter-weary soul about signs of spring. She had noticed ...
Columns
What to keep
When my husband and I purchased our home in Farmville, it immediately offered many things we loved. The ...
Columns
Love your library
Several years ago I read “Cryptonomicon,” by Neal Stephenson. In the book, I met a character named Lawrence ...
Columns
Filling in the year’s calendar
In preparing to welcome 2018, I purchased a new desktop calendar. It has a page for each month, ...
Columns
What I want for Christmas
Members of my family always ask me what I want for Christmas. I have a well-rehearsed list of ...
Columns
Making music with friends
On a sunny Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, I attended a performance by the Heart of Virginia ...
Columns
Truly happy to be here
The title of my column, “Happy to Be Here,” tells you how I feel about the Farmville community. ...
Columns
In the dark a different light shines
My husband and I just returned from a trip to Franklin, North Carolina where we went to view ...
Columns
The world through my windshield
I drove back to Farmville on a recent sultry day. Gratitude for my car’s air conditioning kept me in ...
Columns
A ‘deerly’ affection to wildlife
I arrived in Farmville eight years ago with sentimental ideas regarding deer. My impressions had been formed in suburban ...
Columns
Ways to ready for the solar eclipse
When my husband and I lead astronomy events at High Bridge Trail State Park, I occasionally ask participants ...
Columns
‘Learning about each tomorrow as it arrives’
One morning a couple weeks ago, I woke up with a crick in my neck, a pain in ...
Columns
The more things change
A Longwood alumna who graduated a little more than a decade ago was recently back in town for a ...