July 9, 2024
The Suitcase Lady Blog will resume at a future date.…
June 8, 2021
Anyone who has ever taken a road trip out West has …
January 16, 2018
My husband never drank beer until he got a job at the …
April 26, 2016
Put aside thoughts of 3D printers being used to turn …
September 17, 2007
I am fascinated by old, abandoned farmhouses. They dot …
April 28, 2020
I am not a daredevil or risk-taker. I have all the …
September 25, 2012
The accordion is a much maligned instrument. Say the …
August 6, 2019
My husband is crazy about another woman. She has …
June 15, 2021
Do you like your address? I’m not referring to …
September 3, 2019
The only better summer thing than sitting on the front …
November 9, 2021
My husband and I recently stayed overnight in a lovely …
March 27, 2018
I came across an elegant description of airports in …
February 18, 2020
A monumental traffic jam was reported in Berlin …
November 21, 2017
The one thing on every American’s mind this week …
September 9, 2008
My husband came home one day last week and said, …
August 11, 2009
I recently took a road trip out West and saw a lot of …
February 8, 2011
This is a love story. And like all love stories, it is …
February 10, 2009
I am a fan of ampersands (&), those flamboyant …
July 5, 2016
I try not to be a Luddite. That would be too easy. I …
February 20, 2019
On February 22nd, I’ll begin the thirteenth year …
October 20, 2020
Imagine that you could live on a planet that revolved …
September 27, 2009
Antique dealers must get extremely tired of hearing …
May 1, 2012
My husband suggested I write this blog, proving that …
September 7, 2013
We have ants. Fortunately none are inside our house, …
December 8, 2015
When it comes to appetizers, I flunk. I simply …
November 15, 2011
Our son likes to get high. He is once again building a …
April 1, 2008
I recently decided to introduce my middle school …
May 22, 2007
I like to remind my middle school art students that …
August 24, 2021
I never encountered the word “arthropod” until I was …
April 10, 2012
Some things should not be improved. The grilled cheese …
February 22, 2022
He was a poet, storyteller, children’s book …
April 27, 2021
“This is delicious,” my husband said the …
April 22, 2008
Unbeknownst to me at the time, our family lived for …
September 11, 2011
Consider this powerful three line poem by Wisconsin …
March 5, 2024
A dear friend of ours gives us a most welcome …
January 15, 2008
A British author just wrote a book about the …
January 24, 2012
It’s time for dragons. Forget everything you …
September 19, 2017
According to the calendar, summer is still here. Fall …
January 15, 2019
I received the news from a friend of mine, a former …
August 13, 2013
Foodies and gourmets be warned: exit now, you …
June 10, 2009
The babies arrived last week, and they’re …
August 16, 2011
It’s an architectural icon. It’s been …
October 1, 2013
What could be better than a crusty chunk of French …
May 24, 2016
Every neighborhood once had a family owned bakery, and …
April 11, 2017
“Objects in motion tend to remain in …
July 20, 2010
The ballet is being presented daily across the road …
October 18, 2022
Halloween is approaching, so it is a good time to talk …
April 18, 2023
In 16 years of blogs, I have never written one about …
February 25, 2020
I will never tire of teaching. The joy of sharing the …
January 30, 2018
Please bear with me here. I believe the following list …
January 28, 2014
My father worked hard all his life, saved a part of …
May 20, 2008
The best thing about my husband’s retirement is …
May 16, 2023
Do not show this blog to your dog. There’s a …
January 10, 2023
In a recent conversation with friends, an interesting …
March 26, 2013
I recently stumbled onto an alarming development. By …
July 17, 2007
I admit to being addicted. Fortunately, my addiction …
July 24, 2018
(This one is for Jenny) Bead work is a beloved art …
August 1, 2018
Last week’s blog featured the Vochol, a beaded …
September 3, 2013
“Better walk across your road and pick some …
August 25, 2015
Our cat, Beatrix, had a ride in a tow truck last week. …
April 3, 2012
The “most beautiful bird in the world” was …
November 29, 2011
No English phrase exists for the Japanese concept of …
September 27, 2016
My state is populated with beer drinkers, my husband …
May 3, 2022
Last week we drove into town to get a close-up view of …
November 5, 2013
Pulling into my driveway, I spotted a bulging plastic …
May 16, 2017
I would like to speak about the word …
September 20, 2022
My husband and I are in total agreement. Summer is our …
March 8, 2016
One trait characterizes my entire extended family: …
November 7, 2017
French cuisine and butter are synonymous. So it is …
October 25, 2016
I know exactly where I want to be on Halloween night. …
June 11, 2019
Luxembourg City is the capital of the tiny but …
October 3, 2023
It’s impossible to take a road trip in America …
February 2, 2010
A recent scientific study revealed what every backyard …
July 26, 2022
The other day, a clerk noted my husband’s July …
December 28, 2008
Having a birthday on New Years Eve is no picnic. …
May 5, 2020
Red-winged Blackbirds are one of the first birds to …
March 13, 2018
One of the oddest and most unforgettable conversations …
September 20, 2011
Finally, after sixteen years, something is working. …
August 12, 2014
My husband loves his blues. That’s the nickname …
November 28, 2023
I recently turned on the car radio and braced myself …
October 24, 2017
I always explain to children at my programs that I …
February 23, 2010
A good project is a sure cure for late winter cabin …
December 19, 2017
Iceland sits in the North Atlantic with its …
April 26, 2011
I have figured out the ultimate solution to my …
January 27, 2015
There are two words no child should ever say to me. …
November 16, 2021
It’s interesting to read what states have to say …
April 19, 2016
Inky the octopus made a brilliant nighttime escape …
March 22, 2016
March is painted in many shades of gray up here in the …
May 29, 2018
It’s no secret that I love bread. No day goes by …
June 2, 2018
I just found out that my cousin Peter, a photographer, …
February 3, 2009
The other day it sounded as if the Acheson, Topeka and …
April 25, 2023
I’ve been eating the “Little Red …
August 24, 2010
I am a lover of bridges, both the mighty and the …
March 27, 2012
Last weekend we drove to Kentucky to buy a broom. Our …
February 11, 2014
We recently had a run-in with physics. Unfortunately, …
February 20, 2008
I knew something was terribly wrong when I saw the …
August 28, 2007
If you are squeamish about insects, stop reading right …
January 5, 2016
I was driving down the road the other day behind a car …
March 3, 2015
I recently read an inadvertently hilarious article in …
August 18, 2009
When our son was little, he informed us that the only …
January 17, 2023
I never thought butter could be evil. But butter in …
August 11, 2020
I love my neighbor state of Minnesota for many …
August 14, 2018
Even people who express a hatred of insects love the …
July 27, 2011
The girls are back. Correction: the mothers-to-be are …
May 29, 2007
Everybody pretty much agrees that feeding birds is a …
November 17, 2015
I recently read that Cat Cafes are a new trend. These …
September 11, 2007
I can only bake one cake. Fortunately, it is a very …
November 16, 2010
Perhaps I love California because we had such a hard …
May 3, 2016
Regional cooking thrives below the Mason Dixon line. …
July 29, 2014
Calvin and Hobbes fans are exuberant. Calvin’s …
November 7, 2016
I am cancelling the Suitcase Lady Blog for this week. …
April 8, 2009
My father and his big sister, my Aunt Vi, could never …
June 23, 2009
My husband and I have been searching for a canoe for …
April 13, 2021
When our children were little, we bought them a book …
May 21, 2019
Amazing as it may sound, cardboard is coming into its …
August 21, 2018
I learned to drive in a lima bean green colored 1950 …
October 4, 2016
I realized the other day that only an “a” …
July 5, 2022
July has arrived, the peak of vacation time. How would …
August 20, 2019
Caterpillars don’t usually have birthday …
June 6, 2023
I recently saw a chair which I am longing to buy. It …
April 17, 2012
Garrison Keillor astutely said that there is …
October 27, 2015
For twenty years I taught at a creative arts school …
August 13, 2019
From grade school on, I have always loved geography. …
May 15, 2018
I am now the co-owner of a chainsaw, an item I never …
January 18, 2011
Consider these words which are inscribed on a wall in …
December 27, 2016
It’s the perfect time to think about champagne. …
September 7, 2021
“You’re old-fashioned and I’m going …
May 9, 2023
Parrots are incredible birds, which is a good reason …
September 21, 2021
Once again, as summer fades into fall, I have to get …
March 24, 2009
The big news last week was cheese. A Wisconsin cheese …
December 6, 2022
Every thrift store has them, a large bin or long shelf …
April 12, 2016
Cherry blossoms follow Mother Nature’s whims. If …
August 10, 2021
Chet is a big black dog with one white ear. His …
January 8, 2013
Even the bird experts at Cornell University succumb to …
May 1, 2007
Last week I stopped at my favorite local coffee shop, …
June 17, 2008
The hot item on President Bush’s European trip …
May 29, 2012
I had a happy childhood…….two parents who …
October 5, 2021
Every morning, without fail, my husband takes two …
December 12, 2017
Some Christmas presents keep on giving happiness long …
February 26, 2008
Driving home from work, I recently heard a great piece …
November 15, 2022
I recently saw this large sign outside a Madison …
June 24, 2014
Summertime has officially arrived and with it comes …
March 9, 2021
I woke up the other morning and looked out the front …
May 15, 2012
Quick….if you had $120 million to spend on art, …
September 27, 2022
This summer I had an interesting conversation with a …
May 19, 2020
When it comes to cookies, I’m having a distinct …
January 24, 2023
More of everything is considered a good thing in our …
October 3, 2017
My husband uses words sparingly, but when he does he …
September 19, 2023
My husband likes to send me articles I might otherwise …
January 6, 2009
Anyone can remodel a kitchen by being handy with …
July 19, 2022
Ice cream is always the star of the show with the cone …
February 28, 2023
We had a serious bit of snow last week, and the wind …
April 20, 2010
Home Control struck again last night. We had just …
November 24, 2015
I love cookbooks. Despite the fact that my iPad gives …
December 14, 2010
The idea behind a Christmas cookie exchange is simple. …
August 5, 2014
“I’m as corny as Kansas in August”, …
January 1, 2013
Let the New Year begin with brevity, clarity and …
January 21, 2014
Counting birds is akin to numbering popcorn kernels as …
March 7, 2017
My husband’s second home is Fleet Farm. Despite …
June 18, 2019
About forty years ago, my husband and I decided to buy …
December 7, 2021
My husband and I are ardent fans of giant fiberglass …
March 23, 2010
The coyotes were yipping up a storm when I was in …
October 20, 2009
Dare I use the word… cozy? (Cosy, if …
June 4, 2013
Our first animal rescue was not a cat. This fact …
November 7, 2023
I never turn down a chance to go to our local hardware …
October 17, 2023
I love clay and the resulting ceramics that are formed …
March 30, 2010
Years ago we were strolling in San Antonio on an …
March 31, 2020
One of the lovely things about being married is that …
September 26, 2017
Americans will fight over anything these days, so it …
October 2, 2012
Many of us are losing our minds. We are entitled to do …
February 9, 2016
Our black cat, Taj, had a spectacular crazy time the …
August 29, 2017
My mother was a librarian who loved books and …
September 28, 2010
When I was a teenager, a German exchange teacher came …
June 8, 2010
My husband and I recently had the good fortune to be …
August 28, 2012
The present arrived in a bucket. Shortly after we …
May 18, 2021
Many people enjoy keeping journals to mark the events …
May 26, 2015
I’ve just finished another year of Art in a …
October 23, 2018
Nobody does “cute” like the Japanese. …
March 11, 2008
St. Patrick’s Day is fast approaching, so it …
November 10, 2015
I recently read a fascinating book, A Solemn Pleasure, …
December 29, 2020
The Japanese people know how to make a wish for the …
August 25, 2020
My son and I agree that a huge number of things in …
October 17, 2017
I recently read an explanation of the term …
January 11, 2022
Unique, absurd, funny and decadent are the best words …
February 28, 2017
Perhaps my love of Art Deco is hereditary. For their …
April 17, 2018
Six deer came to dinner the other night. We had just …
May 13, 2014
Food is not medicine. I recoil every time I hear it …
March 28, 2023
My husband and I agree. “Deluxe” is a …
June 29, 2021
As we approach the 245th celebration of our …
November 20, 2012
My sympathy to all of you who will be taking a …
April 8, 2014
The following is a fictitious diary. Warning: Shards …
June 24, 2008
It’s not easy sleeping with a 26 pound cat. The …
March 24, 2021
When I checked my calendar to see which date Easter …
August 2, 2021
An extreme example of dimorphism occurred in one of …
June 4, 2024
I am a true believer in the value of dinnertime. …
November 14, 2017
I hope my species is as successful as the dinosaurs. …
April 5, 2011
I married into a family that is famous for throwing …
May 24, 2022
This post is going to be dirty. Memorial Day is coming …
July 4, 2023
Please note: This is my once a year political blog for …
March 29, 2022
The Age of Aquarius during the 60s was a time when …
May 14, 2024
Some days, you just have to give up and laugh. We had …
November 13, 2007
My grandmother was poor, but she had one prized …
May 26, 2020
I recently read about a delightful way of social …
April 28, 2015
To find spring in Wisconsin, a scavenger hunt is …
July 22, 2008
(This blog is dedicated to Judith, Nick Nick and Tin …
March 19, 2019
For the last 31 years, I have traveled everywhere with …
August 23, 2022
The other day I came across a group of mid-century cat …
September 3, 2007
When I was three, our neighbor’s dog knocked me …
June 30, 2015
I don’t know if it is a blessing or a curse that …
August 25, 2009
My husband calls little dogs “dog seeds.” …
December 21, 2021
Every December for over 30 years, I have done a …
February 14, 2012
I just found out that I am part of a cult. For 39 …
July 25, 2017
If you visit our house, please do not attempt to use …
April 23, 2024
In case you missed this item in the news, some lucky …
June 13, 2023
Doors are invitations. They beckon and cajole. Enter. …
October 6, 2020
Earlier this year, I spent a long weekend helping a …
December 12, 2023
Downtown department stores played a huge role in my …
August 11, 2015
They are a bug that is easy to love. Dragonflies are …
February 20, 2024
The world’s largest annual human migration is …
August 3, 2010
I hurry home from work on summer days eager to see …
April 21, 2015
Scary reports about drones frequently pop up in the …
June 16, 2009
When our son was in high school, he was asked to fill …
November 18, 2008
The lone duck was hunkered down in the sand on the …
May 7, 2013
Rubber Duckie WAS the one last week. This particular …
December 15, 2009
You know you’re out West when the downtown …
January 7, 2014
Going to the dump was a ritual of rural life in times …
May 2, 2023
When I scan the business pages of the New York Times, …
May 23, 2023
A few weeks back, I devoted my blog to the tragedy of …
June 17, 2014
We have been ripped off. The sandy bluff in our front …
February 27, 2007
One of my life goals is to understand the equation …
April 22, 2014
Here are two basic facts: The earth can survive …
October 12, 2021
Things were far less complicated and convoluted in the …
August 22, 2017
Yesterday was the solar eclipse and we were duly …
March 19, 2013
“People like to live on the edge,” I told …
April 11, 2023
Elegant, exquisitely composed and lettered, the …
April 3, 2018
Last week, I was driving west across the 311 miles of …
February 21, 2017
Today marks the start of the eleventh year of The …
July 24, 2007
Maybe it’s because we are a frontier people, or …
March 10, 2015
I now know how to determine if I am in an emergency …
February 26, 2013
I am not feeling blue. I’m not a blueblood, …
September 2, 2008
My husband has been increasingly more morose lately, …
May 1, 2018
Last Tuesday, my husband took matters into his own …
April 14, 2015
Merriam-Webster defines ‘ephemera’ as …
March 16, 2021
Epitome is a lovely word, and I saw an epitome in …
August 7, 2018
In case you missed the great goat story a few days …
October 10, 2017
Geology rocks……literally. Look up …
July 15, 2014
“Anything I need to know?” I asked my …
February 13, 2024
According to Hallmark, Americans send 145 million …
December 20, 2011
Christmas Eve is the only Jewish style holiday …
December 20, 2022
A small group of ardent collectors has transformed our …
September 11, 2018
I recently read an artist’s obituary in the …
February 5, 2014
I took Rangda to school with me the other day. A …
May 10, 2022
The other day, my husband and I were following a car …
November 19, 2019
The masterful writer, Elmore Leonard, said that a …
August 30, 2016
I spent a fair amount of time this summer standing on …
April 15, 2014
Who’s afraid of the big, bad butter? Not me, and …
September 9, 2012
“If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a …
October 20, 2015
“How was your shopping experience?” the …
October 9, 2018
We had a little explosion the other night before …
August 28, 2018
We were traveling for eight days last week, and when …
May 10, 2011
“Wear a crown of eyes around your head,” …
May 28, 2024
Last week I was in my Art in a Suitcase room giving my …
December 14, 2020
A wonderful Christmas festival like no other is held …
August 22, 2023
“I can’t believe summer is going by so …
May 27, 2008
Fads are like a rash. First only a few spots appear, …
April 16, 2024
I woke up last Sunday to the news that Faith Ringgold …
October 21, 2014
If you’ve enjoyed a juicy, fall apple lately, …
January 28, 2020
Last week my cousin and I went to visit a relative at …
December 10, 2013
If asked who my favorite author is, I would not …
November 23, 2021
Everyone in America has heard the Thanksgiving story …
February 19, 2013
The sun was stingy this month; the snow was not. …
December 23, 2014
For those of us riding on the top half of the planet, …
March 3, 2009
Last weekend I developed an advanced case of cabin …
March 21, 2017
Michael Perry in his new book, Roughneck Grace, calls …
December 1, 2020
No one in America views gas stations as exotic places. …
March 2, 2021
There are only four weeks in the entire year when we …
August 21, 2012
The curtain is coming down on summer. Many sun filled …
April 8, 2008
A few evenings ago I spotted a bunch of guys standing …
August 27, 2019
One of my favorite rooms in our house is the fish …
November 2, 2011
“Lifetime fitness” was not a phrase that …
March 29, 2016
The Kiwis just spent millions of dollars to keep the …
April 14, 2009
Our yard hosts a dinosaur, a gigantic bird holding …
March 24, 2008
That handsome guy returned last week. I spotted him …
March 20, 2012
Spring is a flirt. She comes sashaying in for a day or …
June 2, 2009
With the help of our neighbors we salvaged the boat …
June 20, 2023
In college, I chose botany over zoology figuring I …
June 25, 2013
A few days ago, driving home with the groceries past …
September 15, 2015
The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking …
June 5, 2018
My local school district is one of the poorest in the …
July 10, 2018
Getting older and getting more forgetful go hand in …
February 11, 2020
As my husband and I wander the world together, we try …
June 29, 2010
You have to love a country that has the word …
June 28, 2022
I made four attempts to write this blog. All failed. …
July 6, 2010
Frances told me one night at dinner that she had no …
December 18, 2018
“Frappuccino is such a silly word,” my …
July 11, 2017
Last week, I was driving home through a small town …
July 16, 2019
Here’s a tricky trivia question. Where is the …
May 3, 2011
I’ve always loved Fridays. I was born on a …
February 17, 2010
My mother-in-law was a splendid cook who had a life …
February 4, 2020
If I say “Frida”, the last name …
February 9, 2021
During these pandemic times, not being able to visit …
July 29, 2008
Our frontyard is a 70 foot bluff. Before having my …
October 15, 2019
I’m keeping a close eye on the 10 day weather …
January 30, 2024
A whimsical roadside attraction has appeared down the …
January 22, 2008
On many blustery, subzero, winter mornings when I …
December 19, 2007
Fruitcake can be very scary stuff. Let’s face …
March 21, 2023
I have a severe case of the recycling blues. And I …
August 4, 2020
One of my favorite quotations is a song lyric whose …
May 17, 2011
If I start to tell a joke, stop me. It is genetically …
December 16, 2008
Gadgets are primarily guy things. I figured this out …
September 7, 2010
I’m going to put a sign on my refrigerator that …
May 28, 2013
I am the curator of a delightful gallery of art. The …
March 15, 2011
March is Youth Art Month. All across America, teachers …
June 12, 2012
I do not have a gambling gene in my body. I simply …
April 2, 2024
What would you do with a croissant, a coffee cup and a …
March 6, 2012
The air reeked when we opened our car doors in the …
February 23, 2016
I’ve never understood why anyone would want to …
May 25, 2010
“If I said, ‘You’re looking gaudy …
March 24, 2015
The title of the book jumped out at me from the shelf …
September 29, 2020
The song Rainy Night in Georgia was playing on Radio …
October 26, 2010
Every issue of New Mexico Magazine that lands in my …
October 7, 2008
I am a failure as a consumer of durable goods. I have …
July 7, 2015
A dear friend just gave us a marvelous present. It …
December 5, 2023
My husband and I recently visited an art museum in a …
March 11, 2014
Contrary to the charming tall tale, Paul …
October 8, 2019
I live less than an hour away from all these wonderful …
April 5, 2010
Perhaps women are forever frozen in the fashions that …
January 22, 2019
Years ago, my husband had a friend with a watermelon …
December 9, 2014
Glitter and glitz are sprinkling down unchecked in …
December 4, 2018
It’s no secret that I love globes and maps. …
March 30, 2021
Easter is almost upon us, and rabbits are on our …
July 21, 2009
Last Saturday we had dinner with the goats. The goats …
November 27, 2012
Now that Thanksgiving has past, it’s time to …
September 22, 2009
The curtain came down today at 4:19PM CDT. Summer has …
May 31, 2016
I will not be the art teacher at one of my favorite …
October 19, 2021
It’s football season again, a sport I know …
October 23, 2012
Halloween is fast approaching, but I am not into blood …
October 14, 2009
After 68 years, Gourmet Magazine is going away. Since …
November 25, 2008
Over the river and through the woods was definitely …
August 21, 2007
This is the blog the neighbors are waiting for me to …
March 19, 2024
I’m a lifelong lover of ice cream. But until …
May 19, 2015
“Do you know what a grawlix is?” a young …
January 21, 2020
We are decidedly in the thrall of the gray time of …
November 24, 2014
I’ve run into hundreds of turkeys this past …
March 12, 2019
I have a degree in art and have been an art teacher …
February 22, 2007
Once again St. Patrick’s Day is creeping closer, …
June 24, 2015
We are surrounded by a giant cocoon of green. The …
July 12, 2011
It’s outdoor grilling season, and we …
December 2, 2008
It appears as though the Grinch has stolen the …
April 29, 2008
Many people are not enamored of grocery shopping. …
February 2, 2015
In honor of Groundhog’s Day and the …
August 19, 2014
I will not feel guilty for suggesting that guilt is …
March 29, 2011
Having recently seen an exuberant production of …
September 25, 2018
Small towns in America love to promote themselves with …
November 26, 2013
I’m an art teacher and a firm believer in the …
April 1, 2014
In addition to being married to the love of my life, I …
May 12, 2009
It’s comforting to know a country exists that …
March 31, 2009
My Aunt Lillian worked in a hat factory. Shortly …
October 16, 2018
The other morning I sat down to eat breakfast, looked …
May 5, 2009
“Beware of health foods”, is an imperative …
February 9, 2010
Consider the heart. By far, it is my favorite graphic …
May 10, 2017
I’ve always loved crows. Waking up to the …
February 8, 2022
Consider the heart. Such a sublime shape. Two lush, …
July 19, 2011
I’ve only wanted to attack my husband once in 47 …
September 18, 2018
This blog is about getting high. It has nothing to do …
December 25, 2012
Their house never had running water. Heat came from a …
July 4, 2017
It’s the Fourth of July, and many of us are not …
August 15, 2023
My husband recently shared a fascinating article with …
November 29, 2016
It takes a true visionary to look at an abandoned, …
December 26, 2017
If asked to pick my favorite romantic song, I …
May 22, 2018
I spent the first half of my day today doing a science …
March 7, 2007
The people of Chicago have spoken, or more accurately, …
September 12, 2023
When it comes to making waves, one person has cornered …
October 9, 2007
When I think of Holland, I do not visualize tulips and …
November 13, 2018
After 136 years under construction, one of the world’s …
December 24, 2019
There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays and …
January 12, 2010
My husband grew up in Lake Wobegon. Of course, the …
January 15, 2013
The Maryland branch of our family recently suggested …
February 16, 2021
Dogs are back in the White House, and that’s a …
February 23, 2021
The Tooley cats were incensed when I published my blog …
March 8, 2011
It’s coming. Any day now a huge wave of euphoria …
April 9, 2024
A great hotel is a small slice of heaven. All have a …
August 18, 2020
It appears that we have a little Houdini living in our …
August 4, 2015
Twenty years ago, I embarked on the largest art …
November 3, 2010
Several hundred houseguests arrived last week. …
January 26, 2021
I spent the first twenty years of my life in one …
November 20, 2018
The art of the poster has always been a favorite of …
July 28, 2020
Without a doubt, hummingbirds are tiny natural …
March 20, 2018
I could say that my beach glass addiction is …
March 22, 2022
For most of my adult life, friends and family have …
February 24, 2015
March in the north country is known to induce cabin …
January 2, 2018
Here is the news we’ve all been waiting …
June 5, 2012
I am not a believer in self-help books. Although the …
January 26, 2010
“…it is always advisable to perceive clearly our …
November 3, 2015
I need to begin by saying that I do know how to cook …
June 4, 2019
The color indigo is a fashion star this summer, …
February 18, 2014
Eating out while traveling in America is no picnic. …
February 5, 2019
Public art can bring joy or dismay. Either way, I …
November 5, 2019
In America, I’m identified as a Badger …
January 11, 2011
“It’s going to be an introspective …
April 9, 2013
I recently heard a fascinating program on NPR on the …
August 18, 2015
Last Monday we woke up to silence. Our tenants had …
July 21, 2015
At times, I fantasize on things that should be …
March 7, 2010
The big day is almost here, and an investigative …
April 10, 2007
My husband loves islands, preferably warm ones. He …
December 3, 2019
The other day I was reading and came across the word …
January 2, 2024
In our house, I’m the chef and baker while my …
May 6, 2014
The jazz comes on when the sun goes down. My husband …
August 28, 2011
I have never understood Jello. How can anything made …
September 30, 2014
I have long subscribed to the theory that anybody who …
April 23, 2019
I am ecstatic. Hopeless romantic that I am, I have …
January 5, 2021
I found these lines in Louise Penny’s most recent …
December 28, 2009
Thoughts on happiness seem appropriate for the end of …
March 17, 2020
I have been very lucky in my career choice. At age …
July 12, 2022
A year ago this July, one of my best friends died. I …
October 28, 2008
My husband is a dexterous juggler, and he has …
January 3, 2012
I’ve been banned from juice boxes. “I …
April 12, 2011
It appears as though I have become a pariah to 50% of …
June 6, 2017
It’s June, the month named after Jupiter’s …
June 27, 2017
Americans love fads. Foods are no exception. At the …
October 6, 2009
Good things bear repeating. I recently had occasion to …
September 15, 2020
An art teacher friend recently posted a delightful …
November 22, 2011
Valueless things can have immense value. Our …
February 13, 2018
The artist Jim Dine is known for painting and …
July 7, 2009
Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire relied on …
April 14, 2020
Like most little girls and many big ones, I love the …
December 13, 2011
No one will ever call this cat “kitty”. …
November 24, 2009
There will be no knife problem this year. We are …
December 4, 2012
When something happy happens anywhere in the world, we …
April 27, 2010
How was I to know? Lactococcus lactis is part of my …
June 28, 2016
The steadfast copper lady will celebrate her 130th …
January 17, 2012
What’s 1,000 feet long and takes a 3 month …
July 30, 2019
Lakes are fluid in more than the literal sense. …
February 14, 2017
I love old fashioned movies where the romantic couple …
May 4, 2010
Last Friday we once again became landlords. Our …
July 6, 2021
Lawns are the diabolical invention of the English …
September 15, 2009
Shakespeare is almost always right on the mark, but he …
June 2, 2020
An important life skill is knowing with certainty …
November 28, 2017
Whenever our family gets together, we tell lots of …
August 10, 2010
I exist because of a library… the elegant …
November 1, 2016
My books were checked out and I was leaving the …
October 29, 2019
“Would you like someone to tell horrible lies …
December 18, 2012
The best Christmas decorations in the world start with …
December 6, 2016
For those of us in northern climes, the sun (if it has …
July 9, 2013
Souvenir shops near our house feature T-shirts with …
April 30, 2024
Tomorrow, May 1, would be a lovely day to be in …
July 14, 2020
At this moment, big, orange daylilies are the reigning …
May 27, 2009
My daughter once suggested that I have an inordinate …
August 4, 2009
Dinner at our house has always been the time to come …
June 9, 2020
The other day my husband alerted me to a news item he …
March 3, 2020
The saying, “March comes in like a lion but goes …
January 2, 2019
In the life of a marriage, the total time having sex, …
December 30, 2014
As the year draws to an end, the list makers go into …
May 6, 2008
Most of us are blissfully oblivious to the number of …
July 24, 2012
Lizards do not cavort around in our backyard. The …
January 12, 2021
Fads are nonsensical, unpredictable and fun. I love …
July 27, 2010
Understanding the big picture is more important than …
July 15, 2008
One of the newest words in the Merriam Webster …
March 14, 2023
I love logos, those shorthand identifiers for the …
June 1, 2021
When I was in my early teens, my parents let me take …
December 26, 2023
It’s my birthday week, and I can do whatever I …
November 8, 2011
I don’t subscribe to pity parties, nor do I …
February 10, 2015
I’ve always been an incurable romantic. I love …
August 20, 2013
Sometimes you just get lucky. We had finished eating a …
December 11, 2007
I want to make it clear that I am not a Swedish …
August 14, 2012
I am not a good photographer. Training in art enables …
April 21, 2020
Elephants do not usually morph into Airbnbs. But this …
October 6, 2015
I propose a moment of silence to remember the dear …
June 26, 2012
We designed our front yard to be eaten. Now with wings …
July 9, 2019
My knowledge of physics is almost nonexistent, but …
April 17, 2007
Never undervalue the salutary effects of comfort food …
July 11, 2023
The famous French architect, Le Corbusier (1887- 1965) …
February 21, 2012
I am not attracted to guys in canary yellow suits, but …
October 25, 2011
Sandra’s seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a …
June 16, 2015
“I have a wonderful fairytale for you today. It …
June 10, 2014
It’s hard to be creative with your mailbox. …
August 23, 2016
When I was a child, I lived within easy walking …
April 4, 2023
Manners matter. They grease the mechanism of our human …
November 30, 2021
Almost everyone loves pizza. A generous combination of …
August 9, 2016
Tagetes patula is brightening up our porch. That is …
May 8, 2007
A big, bustling Farmers’ Market is a wonderful …
December 2, 2014
Pulling into the car wash the other day, I was behind …
June 3, 2007
June is here, and it’s time for the marriage …
May 14, 2013
Don’t plan any vacations to Venus. Despite being …
May 4, 2021
A peacock came in the mail last Thursday. He’s a …
September 10, 2019
Amid the litany of horrors that is the daily …
May 30, 2017
If I had to choose my favorite month, May would be the …
October 11, 2011
One morning last week, my husband went out for the …
November 22, 2022
In Frances Mayes’ most recent book, A Place in …
June 11, 2013
I live surrounded by mermaids. These lovely ladies …
November 30, 2010
Last week was a mess. At times we didn’t know …
October 14, 2014
Fall is being assertive. Memories of summer are …
June 18, 2024
Sweden is known for its joyful midsummer (Midsommar in …
June 19, 2007
As usual, Shakespeare has it exquisitely right; …
September 28, 2021
One of the most popular words at this American moment …
November 28, 2007
I am a minimalist. I try not to have more stuff than I …
April 10, 2018
Things are getting a bit out of hand down at our local …
September 29, 2008
I spend a fair amount of time in places other than my …
June 22, 2010
The mint died. Those three word sum up our gardening …
October 22, 2019
I recently found a hilarious news item in the Iceland …
December 20, 2016
Picture the perfect Christmas home scene. Chances are …
November 6, 2012
Indulge me. This blog started six years ago as an …
June 26, 2007
I don’t make a habit of driving my husband …
December 11, 2018
The other day at breakfast my husband asked me if …
February 15, 2011
My mother was an Anglophile. A child of the Seifert …
April 7, 2020
Spring refuses to be quarantined. Living in a northern …
May 5, 2015
Elephant mothers don’t get cards, flowers or …
January 16, 2024
Many things in life start small. Sometimes on a whim. …
October 11, 2022
I’ve been tempted, but I’ve resisted. Rows …
February 1, 2012
My mother always got her facts straight. She was a …
September 25, 2007
We had a rash of murders at our house lately, and I …
December 30, 2015
When I worked for a library, I visited schools each …
March 10, 2009
At the age of seven I got my first library card, and …
April 25, 2017
My husband and I have been watching a large McMansion …
July 31, 2007
My name is Mary because my mother was not a …
October 19, 2010
I gave up naps when I was one and a half. According to …
January 3, 2023
I remember it vividly…lying on a rug, my eyes …
November 17, 2020
Our fields are full of world travelers. A person …
January 15, 2014
We knew it was time to move when the leaves …
December 1, 2009
I won’t be getting a GPS for Christmas. Everyone …
September 6, 2011
Neko (neck oh) is the Japanese word for cat. Maneki …
September 6, 2016
I’ve had a life long fascination with neon …
January 25, 2022
I hope our daughter has thawed out. She’s been …
January 19, 2016
To paraphrase Garrison Keillor, it’s been a …
August 7, 2012
I was hooked on newspapers by age five. The old …
December 19, 2023
Everyone knows these song lyrics about Santa Coming to …
December 1, 2015
In his lifetime, Jan Steen painted six large, …
February 17, 2015
My ninth year of weekly Suitcase Lady blogs begins …
April 13, 2010
My husband and I do not chase fire trucks to watch …
November 1, 2022
Nonsense. We all encounter some of it every day. And …
July 23, 2013
The New York Times Science section recently had a lead …
January 29, 2013
The idea is brilliant in its simplicity. About five …
September 17, 2019
How’s this for an oxymoron. The other day I …
December 14, 2021
The New York Times recently ran an editorial piece …
November 11, 2014
November is a challenging month. For starters, its …
May 19, 2009
Springtime is like Fridays… both are wonderfully …
June 9, 2015
Garden centers are dangerous places. Put me in a shoe …
January 6, 2015
A friend recently told us a story that begged to be …
January 24, 2017
One of our best Christmas presents was a fifty pound …
September 8, 2009
It was the ultimate irony. My husband and I just spent …
August 1, 2017
I do not make a habit of reading the obituaries. But …
December 31, 2013
I certainly hope that people aren’t going out of …
April 24, 2007
I doubt if there is a man in America who doesn’t …
January 25, 2011
A young relative of mine loves olives. His eyes dance …
April 26, 2022
Down through the ages, many creative individuals have …
September 13, 2016
No matter how it is spelled, omelette or omelet, this …
February 15, 2022
“Well that is certainly an omen that we are …
January 7, 2020
Whether a solar or lunar calendar is used, the turning …
August 10, 2007
I have a lifetime goal of learning to appreciate …
August 7, 2007
I am starting an opossum fan club. I’m hoping …
December 27, 2022
The other day I was looking up quotes about New Years …
May 23, 2017
We went through 28 oranges last week. My husband and I …
April 18, 2017
It’s the orgy to end all orgies. Narcisse, …
August 29, 2023
Although it is always associated with Japan, origami, …
May 24, 2011
Orioles will always be magical to me. When I was a …
November 4, 2014
Sometimes it is necessary to take a stand. Last week …
July 17, 2018
A few weeks ago, we were walking in a supremely …
December 5, 2017
For most of my adult life, I’ve had a love/hate …
February 25, 2009
Obviously, I am having an owl year, and I’m …
July 8, 2008
I have the perfect post office. Being a person who …
April 20, 2021
When our family gets together, we invariably tell …
January 9, 2018
I have come to the reluctant conclusion that I have to …
April 4, 2017
An acquaintance of mine recently had a bad art …
February 17, 2009
“Don’t ever send your children to a school …
January 4, 2022
“It’s my birthday, and I can do whatever I …
March 17, 2015
The topics for my weekly blogs come by serendipity. …
January 9, 2024
Pandas are high on the list of charismatic animals. My …
December 28, 2021
I’ve constructed a little wordplay to start …
August 2, 2016
We had just found a parking spot on a busy street in …
January 29, 2019
Last week, the New York Times’ food section ran …
September 8, 2015
When I was three, I decided to be an artist. My …
June 14, 2016
It takes a lot to induce us to get up at dawn on a …
June 25, 2024
Most of us have been lucky enough to have had this …
May 8, 2018
In case you missed seeing “April in Paris” …
December 25, 2018
Christmas is here, and I didn’t get a partridge …
February 7, 2017
My paternal grandmother knew how to multipurpose her …
August 9, 2022
While zipping along in my car the other day, I heard a …
June 9, 2008
Patience was on sale the other day at my Goodwill …
July 2, 2019
Note: Although I purposefully do not venture into …
December 28, 2010
The word “peace” is currently in season. …
April 16, 2019
Have you ever been in Atlanta? If not, consider …
December 5, 2007
My neighbor the next road over got a free peacock, or …
April 24, 2018
Here is a wonderful piece of news. 1,500,000 penguins …
October 1, 2007
People can be divided into two basic types – …
May 21, 2024
Living surrounded by animals, I often wish I could see …
June 3, 2014
Good things can happen when people work together. In …
October 28, 2021
The other day I saw an advertisement for a 2022 …
November 18, 2014
Almost all of us probably harbor some mild …
March 13, 2007
One week last November when I was feeling particularly …
July 29, 2009
The dictionary defines picnic as “an outing or …
November 17, 2009
I was about to roll out a pie crust the other day when …
June 7, 2011
Pie attracts tourists like flies. Throw in an obscure …
March 4, 2008
I was following a gigantic, smiling pig down the …
May 27, 2014
“I think we are in trouble menu-wise,” I …
December 13, 2016
We had a Charlie Brown Christmas tree last year. These …
September 1, 2015
The New York Times recently ran a rosy hued obituary. …
June 7, 2022
Watch out for them. They’re coming soon to a …
July 13, 2021
Thieves steal the weirdest things. Take, for example, …
June 23, 2020
As a graphic designer, I try to keep up with the …
July 2, 2024
Disclosure: With one exception, I write a short, …
March 17, 2010
I am old enough to remember the time in America B.P. …
June 12, 2018
A grocery store in the Netherlands just made news by …
June 18, 2013
For thirty years, Andre Soltner was the chef at …
July 20, 2021
All the seasons have their beauty, but summer is in a …
March 1, 2022
It all began in Scotland in 2006. The Scottish …
May 15, 2007
I just completed a week of programs for kids on the …
November 12, 2013
It can only happen once in every year. I glance out …
December 17, 2013
I am not a polar bear. Therefore, I am seriously …
March 31, 2015
My husband is calm, rational, caring and as grounded …
August 31, 2021
I recently learned an interesting fact about Henry, a …
September 5, 2023
My husband and I were recently seated in an …
December 16, 2014
“I’m letting you know right now that I …
October 1, 2019
I am emphatically not the most popular human being in …
July 1, 2014
Southerners have raised porch sitting to an art form. …
January 21, 2009
“There is no such thing as an Idaho potato. But …
October 29, 2013
One of my favorite Halloween poems is by Nancy …
July 22, 2014
We went to the farm store the other day to buy a can …
November 3, 2020
Since today’s momentous election is on …
May 17, 2022
Leave it to a woman to invent a car that changes …
July 3, 2012
Americans used to have something called civic pride. …
September 12, 2010
Dedicated travelers come in two varieties: the first …
October 13, 2015
Japanese woodblock prints are among my favorite types …
February 7, 2012
Privacy is dead. Although my husband and I both value …
June 26, 2018
My husband and I are working on a big project. It all …
September 20, 2016
In very small towns, the Post Office is the heart. Our …
April 16, 2013
“There’s a big one, go get it!” the …
October 26, 2021
It’s impossible to go anywhere these days and …
October 31, 2017
This is a true story about an incognito pumpkin patch. …
July 23, 2019
A friend recently sent us a minute-long video she …
August 15, 2017
My list of museums to visit just got two new …
January 20, 2015
My mother only had one punishment that worked on me …
April 15, 2008
Purple is a secondary color, the marriage of red and …
June 21, 2016
We are having a glorious purple moment. It’s …
November 29, 2022
It’s one of the most lovely sounds in the …
September 13, 2022
Note: My mother bought me the Coronation Coloring Book …
November 9, 2010
Last Thursday I walked into my library to see a book …
November 14, 2023
Quick, what do Mumbai, Tokyo, Champ-Elysees, Paris, …
June 7, 2016
Readers of this blog know that I am a dedicated …
July 4, 2007
One night each year my gentle, soft-spoken, …
December 13, 2022
Our planet is geologically active. Or, as I explain to …
March 1, 2011
I learned in fourth grade how to be an “A” …
August 8, 2017
The Queen was reigning along all the roadsides and …
March 15, 2022
It all began with an article I read about Quincy, …
July 28, 2015
Now is the quintessence, the epitome and the apex. …
April 19, 2022
From the time I was a small child, I have loved …
March 5, 2013
I am looking forward to summer in the libraries with …
April 1, 2007
I’m so glad I am not a rabbit! As I inform the …
January 26, 2016
Periodically, a perplexing post has popped up from a …
July 12, 2016
I heard a lovely radio essay on rain last week. The …
September 14, 2021
The man who put a rainbow in my kitchen cupboard died …
August 24, 2011
I waited a long time to see my first rainbow. When it …
August 26, 2008
This summer two crows have taken up residence in the …
October 30, 2018
The moon is bright, the nights are chill: It’s …
July 10, 2012
Here is the surest way to get someone not to read a …
February 27, 2024
The other day it occurred to me that reality is fast …
January 23, 2018
Officially, it is not a word. It doesn’t appear in the …
December 9, 2008
We had one of our best Christmas trees in July, and it …
January 14, 2020
I have just discovered the ultimate way to recycle a …
May 20, 2014
“If you find a piece of red beach glass, you …
March 22, 2011
I’m guessing our red squirrels sleep soundly at …
May 7, 2024
For many years, in early April, my husband and I would …
February 12, 2013
Liz was a smashing redhead. “I’ve got …
April 30, 2013
I saw two big redheads standing in a field beside the …
January 5, 2010
My son is not a competitive person. He’s highly …
June 30, 2020
As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, I believe a …
October 24, 2023
Pumpkins are a most versatile squash. They can be …
February 14, 2023
Robert Waldinger knows a lot about happiness. He is …
March 18, 2014
Sex, faith and relaxation are three things that …
August 2, 2011
We run a 24 hour diner in our backyard known as the …
March 5, 2019
The entire city of Kiruna, the most northern berg in …
May 28, 2019
Spring has been extremely reluctant to come this year. …
April 23, 2013
The hour before sunset on an ocean beach exudes calm. …
July 8, 2014
After eighteen years, The Tooley Cafe has been …
July 26, 2016
For many of us, summer is the most glorious season of …
June 20, 2017
The beach in front of our house looks like a giant has …
December 30, 2007
I have two perfect New Year’s resolutions. …
February 2, 2016
I recently heard some pundit on National Public Radio …
February 20, 2018
If you would like to start the New Year over again, …
June 14, 2022
My son and I have come to the same, sad conclusion. …
September 22, 2020
Sometimes one good thing leads to another. That is …
April 30, 2019
My husband and I are news junkies and frequently …
January 23, 2024
This week’s blog is a riddle. Here are twelve …
July 31, 2013
Summer is at its peak of ripeness. Despite the fact …
April 6, 2021
Note: I wrote this blog last year, just before Covid …
July 1, 2008
I was coming home from work last week, driving through …
October 7, 2014
Robots are a hot topic at the moment. Reports …
September 1, 2009
Serendipity is wonderful stuff. When serendipity …
February 13, 2008
Combining romance and reason is an oxymoron, thus …
March 10, 2020
We don’t have any roosters at our house, but we …
October 22, 2013
“Smell goes into the emotional parts of the …
June 13, 2017
None of us who fly economy class on American airlines …
March 7, 2023
The sky was unleashing buckets of rain with …
June 19, 2012
If I say “watermelon”, you might say …
March 1, 2016
“I would like a tomato next week,” my …
July 18, 2017
Say the word “sand” and most of us think …
February 27, 2018
A small bit of sanity has returned to the world of …
January 4, 2011
Anyone who has lived in America the last decade knows …
May 12, 2020
On Mother’s Day, I looked out the window and the …
February 2, 2021
Whether you call them schnecken, schnecke or schnecks, …
September 1, 2014
Starting with kindergarten, I’ve gone back to …
December 24, 2013
My grandmother gave me her elegant little scissors …
September 15, 2008
My father once bought a half gallon carton of Sealtest …
June 30, 2009
In three years of writing blogs I have failed to …
September 23, 2014
The vote is in, and the Scots have decided to keep the …
August 7, 2011
Our beach is heavenly. But our shells are evil. …
February 26, 2019
I have a Japanese American friend who is more …
November 6, 2007
The other day a friend of mine was venting her rage …
December 17, 2019
Norway is a land that loves Christmas and one of their …
March 17, 2009
“Once again the time of the great sex orgy is at …
April 5, 2022
Sharing isn’t just for kindergartners. …
November 21, 2023
In the past 16 years, I have written 874 (almost …
August 1, 2023
I am resigned to turning myself into a faux sheep, and …
February 6, 2024
Waiting for a bus in America is not an ambient …
August 30, 2022
Are you as fed up as I am with shrinkflation? That is …
March 19, 2008
Everyone here in the upper Midwest is yearning for any …
June 25, 2019
Last weekend we met the Eastern branch of our family …
May 18, 2010
I am a believer in silence and its soulmate, solitude. …
April 28, 2009
…dedicated to Chris and Cathy The other night …
November 22, 2016
Several months ago, our daughter ended a long work day …
June 21, 2022
The other day I was reading an article entitled, …
October 5, 2010
Gato did not get the birthday present of his dreams. …
August 10, 2008
Is the opposite of a marathon a slowathon? If so, sign …
April 7, 2015
I am surrounded by smarts. Almost everyone I know has …
May 2, 2017
If I had unlimited wealth, flying around to see …
October 31, 2012
If there is one thing America excels at, it is excess. …
September 26, 2023
Our species is not known for its acute sense of smell. …
August 16, 2022
Every summer for the past 33 years, I have written and …
October 21, 2008
I have to confess that I’ve lost my snake. And …
June 14, 2011
I once had lunch with a python. We were in a ramada at …
January 12, 2016
The fantasy ended a week ago. I had myself convinced …
August 2, 2022
People like beer. People like music. People like food …
December 22, 2020
How would you like to live inside a star or a …
February 21, 2023
Here’s an enigma. How do you paint white …
March 15, 2016
The time has come to burn the snowman. I must admit …
February 5, 2013
“We are going to see snow for the very first …
December 11, 2012
We had our first snowstorm of the season this week, …
September 4, 2012
We heard them before we saw them. One morning last …
March 26, 2019
The state of Utah is in the process of designing a new …
October 9, 2012
My husband started laughing at the breakfast table as …
June 19, 2018
I was reading my New Yorker magazine the other morning …
March 9, 2022
A store of happy memories from my childhood revolve …
June 11, 2024
We were eating breakfast while watching a steady …
September 21, 2010
My husband adores another woman. Since the lady is 75 …
January 29, 2008
I am extremely steamed up about soup… pun …
July 31, 2012
I take great delight in finding the treasure in the …
January 18, 2022
French street artist Youri Cansell, a.k.a. Mantra, …
January 28, 2009
Sousa doesn’t talk. It’s odd to live with a creature …
May 11, 2010
Only Robert B. Parker could write a line like …
October 23, 2007
I confess to a great fondness for spiders. Spiders are …
October 12, 2010
The evil letter arrived two weeks ago. “Spider …
April 19, 2011
We’re spinning, and it’s not a lazy twirl. …
October 10, 2023
Earth rotates on its axis at about 1,000 miles per …
December 31, 2019
This blog is about spirits, not the alcoholic ones, …
September 27, 2011
My husband and I have always considered ourselves to …
September 24, 2019
Fashion is fickle; style endures. But I do delight in …
March 20, 2007
Thank goodness people have an infinite capacity for …
July 17, 2012
Can any sound be more wonderful than the …
May 21, 2013
This past winter was harsh, but now we are being …
July 19, 2023
Our daughter has squirrel problems. You might be …
September 6, 2022
For some unknown reason, we humans love to stack …
December 23, 2015
We are on the cusp of Christmas, and some joy is in …
January 19, 2021
I found myself awake at 4:00 AM the other morning. …
February 28, 2012
Flying isn’t a picnic. It’s an exercise in …
December 22, 2010
A creature definitely is stirring. And that creature …
December 7, 2010
Sewing machines and I are not compatible. For …
August 17, 2010
Sometimes you have to leave home to discover …
October 15, 2013
Judy’s story came to an end on October 7, 2013. …
November 10, 2020
We had a little explosion here a few weeks ago. I was …
October 18, 2016
The upcoming Presidential election seems to be a …
November 8, 2022
This intriguing picture recently popped up on my …
September 16, 2014
Soon the stridulation will start. For me, that’s …
November 20, 2007
I believe I hate turkey dressing as the result of a …
February 5, 2008
Stupid is an excellent word – so strong and …
June 27, 2023
The other day I did something so incredibly idiotic …
October 16, 2007
The difference between style and fashion is easy. …
October 11, 2016
I added a wonderful word to my vocabulary last week …
August 31, 2010
I love clean beginnings and endings. Summer sits …
September 1, 2020
As Labor Day approaches, summer starts to wind down. …
May 11, 2021
In my way of thinking, movies and music should not …
August 27, 2014
All the marketing people in the world couldn’t …
March 6, 2018
The car is gone. I am referring to the car on the ice …
July 14, 2009
I am fully aware that a sunset is merely a sunrise in …
November 3, 2009
I was not a supermom. My generation of women did not …
October 28, 2014
We share our home with two black cats who frequently …
August 16, 2016
This story is a sequel to my blog of May 7, 2013 …
October 25, 2022
This Halloween marks a first for my husband and me. …
April 21, 2009
Perhaps the time has come to reinstate Home …
February 16, 2016
I spotted a small, framed quotation in my favorite …
February 12, 2019
There’s a candy crisis in America. NECCO (New …
July 10, 2007
My parents were jocks. They were not into team sports, …
January 8, 2008
Teenage boys and cats have independently discovered a …
September 5, 2017
As a new school year starts, here is a true story …
November 12, 2019
The phrase “getting high” has taken on a …
July 3, 2018
In the city down the road from us is what purports to …
December 3, 2013
I have tried extremely hard for many years to like …
January 10, 2012
I may have to skip 2012. Pantone, the color gurus in …
July 14, 2015
My husband and I drove from Denver to Taos last …
September 29, 2015
Fall is tardy this year. Autumn officially arrived on …
March 24, 2020
A note before I begin: Fourteen years ago, I began …
September 22, 2015
“What do you have against tea?” I asked my …
June 28, 2011
I believe that the perfect celebration of the Fourth …
April 9, 2019
Tengu is a hugely popular supernatural creature in …
April 3, 2013
I must begin by stating that I still love lizards. …
November 23, 2010
In these pre-Thanksgiving weeks, elementary school …
May 31, 2022
I started buying my clothes in thrift stores when I …
November 6, 2018
Brexit may be tearing Europe apart, but the big news …
September 9, 2014
I recently read a New Yorker article which delved into …
September 8, 2020
I have never been a fan of Christmas shops that are …
January 22, 2013
“Lady, don’t drive anywhere without a …
December 8, 2020
Last month there was a big brouhaha in Britain. It all …
November 10, 2009
One of my all time favorite movies is “The Brave …
August 6, 2013
Mr. Tom doesn’t purr. We know that he is a happy …
July 16, 2013
My lack of gardening skills is legendary. I am the …
July 3, 2013
Assume nothing. This advice is a splendid way to avoid …
March 12, 2013
“I just don’t have the right tools,” …
November 27, 2018
The inspiration for this blog comes from my cousin, a …
December 8, 2009
An American toy store is the last place in the world I …
November 13, 2012
Thanks to my husband, we have become trackers. I am …
January 19, 2010
My childhood was defined by tractors. Since I grew up …
December 22, 2009
It’s ironic. My grandfather was from Bohemia, …
August 17, 2021
The John Michael Kohler Art Center’s Art Preserve has …
May 14, 2019
I had an interesting conversation with a second grader …
October 16, 2012
My uncle was an intrepid world traveler. One rainy …
September 23, 2008
Japan wisely designates certain special citizens as …
November 19, 2013
I’ve been a beachcomber all my life. As a child, …
October 27, 2020
Here’s an alert for all the chocolate lovers who …
December 24, 2007
I was a lucky child. My parents always had a fight …
December 23, 2008
Your children should never forgive you for certain …
August 8, 2023
I love spotting trends. Whether in food, fashion or …
July 27, 2021
I never imagined I would be writing a post about …
March 27, 2007
I know where the best troll in America lives. At the …
March 2, 2010
Nature definitely painted the tropics in technicolor. …
April 2, 2019
The other day my husband was absorbed at his computer, …
May 10, 2016
My first encounter with tulips did not end well. …
November 26, 2019
It’s time again for turkey, mashed potatoes, …
May 17, 2016
This blog is for Joan, my favorite chelonophile. The …
March 28, 2017
Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, has been popping up …
September 18, 2012
We are beginning to get a glimmer of understanding …
May 25, 2021
This weekend, Memorial Day, marks the start of our …
January 13, 2009
The Interstate Baking Company recently filed for …
February 6, 2018
The New York Times recently ran a front page article …
March 26, 2024
It all began with a sculpture. From that single piece …
January 31, 2023
Take 26 letters. Turn them loose with creative people. …
February 7, 2023
A true treasure chest of a museum is straight up the …
October 13, 2020
I’m a lover of letters, i.e., typefaces and …
May 30, 2023
I once was hired to do a children’s program at a …
July 25, 2023
I just ran across a bizarre news item. Japan Air Lines …
June 16, 2020
Driving home from a hike last Saturday, we spotted a …
September 24, 2013
I am a dedicated tunnelophile. I’ve been …
June 22, 2021
Name about any food and you will probably have been …
December 6, 2011
My daughter is the universal woman. How did this state …
June 2, 2015
On September 30, 2014, I published a blog about New …
October 14, 2008
I was definitely upstaged last week, and I don’t …
July 13, 2010
It is a scientific fact that teenage boys vaporize …
January 13, 2015
This blog is about Las Vegas. If immediate thoughts of …
October 2, 2018
When it comes to veggies, I like mine small. Petite …
April 24, 2012
Venus has been putting on a spectacular show lately. …
May 12, 2015
A rainbow must have been overhead on the day Vera …
May 30, 2011
America is a weird country. We got a call from our vet …
March 14, 2017
I walked into one of my favorite public school …
March 4, 2014
“I don’t think we’re going to see …
November 4, 2008
It’s election day, and I won’t have to …
June 1, 2010
Sometimes a gift isn’t. The most spectacular …
August 5, 2008
I don’t know if any of you have noticed, but a …
January 3, 2017
Taking a walk is a great pleasure. It is also …
October 8, 2013
We’ve been eating breakfast between the bees and …
December 15, 2015
It’s been a tough year for the trees along our …
March 12, 2024
When I was dating my husband, he took me to northern …
June 12, 2007
Wedding planning is only slightly more pleasant than …
September 17, 2013
The week is a human invention. Years, seasons, months …
September 12, 2017
On June 17, 2008, I posted a blog on how to wash a …
September 4, 2018
Last week we were sitting in Lou Mitchell’s …
July 21, 2020
Leave it to the French, masters of joie de vivre, to …
June 21, 2011
Only the French could have created something as …
May 22, 2012
In Asia it is the Year of the Dragon, but where we …
January 8, 2019
I was driving down the Will Rogers Turnpike in …
February 1, 2022
We ailurophiles (cat lovers) in America have cause to …
February 25, 2014
I do not like extremely windy days. The exhilaration …
August 20, 2008
One of the greatest openings of any book I’ve …
July 7, 2020
The other morning, a red admiral, a mourning cloak, …
January 17, 2017
About three week ago, I got winter out of the closet. …
March 25, 2014
My mother-in-law, Vera, sent e-mail messages before …
October 4, 2022
The other day, I painted a dinosaur. This was not an …
November 24, 2020
It’s hard not to love Pop Art, that genre that …
October 30, 2007
Most everyone knows that witches are make believe. …
October 27, 2009
Here’s a surefire way to keep the witches at …
May 11, 2008
Woodchucks, a.k.a. groundhogs, are the largest members …
April 29, 2014
His official name is Marmota monax monax, but we just …
October 18, 2011
My husband and I have a surefire prescription for joy. …
November 15, 2016
Last month my husband and I missed a wonderful event. …
December 27, 2011
“Stay tuned, “the announcer said, …
August 27, 2013
Labor Day has become the psychological end of summer …
February 1, 2011
My mother-in-law was a world class worrier. Her worst …
January 31, 2017
Christo and his late wife, Jeanne-Claude, are …
October 4, 2011
I am not afraid of bread. I love bread and eat it for …
April 12, 2022
Sometimes it is a wonderful thing to be wrong. I am …
February 22, 2011
This week marks the fifth anniversary of my weekly …
March 13, 2012
March has roared in and with it the annual month long …
October 31, 2023
When it comes to monsters, ghosts, ghouls, spooks, …
June 3, 2008
Try as they might, the likes of Wal-Mart, …
December 10, 2019
Our son had a fascination with Druids when he was in …
April 5, 2016
World renowned architect, Zaha Hadid, died last week …
January 10, 2017
I’ve noticed an uptick in news from Canada …
May 7, 2019
What do you visualize if I say “zebra …
July 19, 2016
I have just finished reading The True Secret of …
June 15, 2010
We northerners will come to the end of the sky road …
May 8, 2012
I should be a fan of graphic novels. As a kid, I spent …
July 5, 2011
I did not buy the zucchinis. Fleet Farm had a 2 for 1 …
July 9, 2024The Suitcase Lady Blog will resume at a future date.…
June 8, 2021Anyone who has ever taken a road trip out West has …
January 16, 2018My husband never drank beer until he got a job at the …
April 26, 2016Put aside thoughts of 3D printers being used to turn …
April 28, 2020I am not a daredevil or risk-taker. I have all the …
September 25, 2012The accordion is a much maligned instrument. Say the …
August 6, 2019My husband is crazy about another woman. She has …
November 9, 2021My husband and I recently stayed overnight in a lovely …
March 27, 2018I came across an elegant description of airports in …
November 21, 2017The one thing on every American’s mind this week …
February 10, 2009I am a fan of ampersands (&), those flamboyant …
July 5, 2016I try not to be a Luddite. That would be too easy. I …
February 20, 2019On February 22nd, I’ll begin the thirteenth year …
October 20, 2020Imagine that you could live on a planet that revolved …
September 27, 2009Antique dealers must get extremely tired of hearing …
May 1, 2012My husband suggested I write this blog, proving that …
August 24, 2021I never encountered the word “arthropod” until I was …
April 10, 2012Some things should not be improved. The grilled cheese …
February 22, 2022He was a poet, storyteller, children’s book …
April 27, 2021“This is delicious,” my husband said the …
April 22, 2008Unbeknownst to me at the time, our family lived for …
September 11, 2011Consider this powerful three line poem by Wisconsin …
March 5, 2024A dear friend of ours gives us a most welcome …
September 19, 2017According to the calendar, summer is still here. Fall …
January 15, 2019I received the news from a friend of mine, a former …
August 13, 2013Foodies and gourmets be warned: exit now, you …
August 16, 2011It’s an architectural icon. It’s been …
October 1, 2013What could be better than a crusty chunk of French …
May 24, 2016Every neighborhood once had a family owned bakery, and …
October 18, 2022Halloween is approaching, so it is a good time to talk …
April 18, 2023In 16 years of blogs, I have never written one about …
February 25, 2020I will never tire of teaching. The joy of sharing the …
January 30, 2018Please bear with me here. I believe the following list …
January 28, 2014My father worked hard all his life, saved a part of …
May 16, 2023Do not show this blog to your dog. There’s a …
January 10, 2023In a recent conversation with friends, an interesting …
March 26, 2013I recently stumbled onto an alarming development. By …
August 25, 2015Our cat, Beatrix, had a ride in a tow truck last week. …
April 3, 2012The “most beautiful bird in the world” was …
September 27, 2016My state is populated with beer drinkers, my husband …
May 3, 2022Last week we drove into town to get a close-up view of …
May 16, 2017I would like to speak about the word …
September 20, 2022My husband and I are in total agreement. Summer is our …
March 8, 2016One trait characterizes my entire extended family: …
November 7, 2017French cuisine and butter are synonymous. So it is …
October 3, 2023It’s impossible to take a road trip in America …
July 26, 2022The other day, a clerk noted my husband’s July …
March 13, 2018One of the oddest and most unforgettable conversations …
August 12, 2014My husband loves his blues. That’s the nickname …
November 28, 2023I recently turned on the car radio and braced myself …
October 24, 2017I always explain to children at my programs that I …
December 19, 2017Iceland sits in the North Atlantic with its …
January 27, 2015There are two words no child should ever say to me. …
November 16, 2021It’s interesting to read what states have to say …
April 19, 2016Inky the octopus made a brilliant nighttime escape …
April 25, 2023I’ve been eating the “Little Red …
February 11, 2014We recently had a run-in with physics. Unfortunately, …
January 5, 2016I was driving down the road the other day behind a car …
March 3, 2015I recently read an inadvertently hilarious article in …
August 18, 2009When our son was little, he informed us that the only …
January 17, 2023I never thought butter could be evil. But butter in …
May 3, 2016Regional cooking thrives below the Mason Dixon line. …
July 29, 2014Calvin and Hobbes fans are exuberant. Calvin’s …
April 13, 2021When our children were little, we bought them a book …
May 21, 2019Amazing as it may sound, cardboard is coming into its …
August 21, 2018I learned to drive in a lima bean green colored 1950 …
October 4, 2016I realized the other day that only an “a” …
July 5, 2022July has arrived, the peak of vacation time. How would …
June 6, 2023I recently saw a chair which I am longing to buy. It …
April 17, 2012Garrison Keillor astutely said that there is …
May 15, 2018I am now the co-owner of a chainsaw, an item I never …
January 18, 2011Consider these words which are inscribed on a wall in …
September 7, 2021“You’re old-fashioned and I’m going …
May 9, 2023Parrots are incredible birds, which is a good reason …
September 21, 2021Once again, as summer fades into fall, I have to get …
December 6, 2022Every thrift store has them, a large bin or long shelf …
April 12, 2016Cherry blossoms follow Mother Nature’s whims. If …
August 10, 2021Chet is a big black dog with one white ear. His …
January 8, 2013Even the bird experts at Cornell University succumb to …
May 29, 2012I had a happy childhood…….two parents who …
December 12, 2017Some Christmas presents keep on giving happiness long …
November 15, 2022I recently saw this large sign outside a Madison …
March 9, 2021I woke up the other morning and looked out the front …
September 27, 2022This summer I had an interesting conversation with a …
May 19, 2020When it comes to cookies, I’m having a distinct …
January 24, 2023More of everything is considered a good thing in our …
October 3, 2017My husband uses words sparingly, but when he does he …
September 19, 2023My husband likes to send me articles I might otherwise …
July 19, 2022Ice cream is always the star of the show with the cone …
February 28, 2023We had a serious bit of snow last week, and the wind …
November 24, 2015I love cookbooks. Despite the fact that my iPad gives …
August 5, 2014“I’m as corny as Kansas in August”, …
January 1, 2013Let the New Year begin with brevity, clarity and …
January 21, 2014Counting birds is akin to numbering popcorn kernels as …
March 7, 2017My husband’s second home is Fleet Farm. Despite …
June 18, 2019About forty years ago, my husband and I decided to buy …
December 7, 2021My husband and I are ardent fans of giant fiberglass …
March 23, 2010The coyotes were yipping up a storm when I was in …
June 4, 2013Our first animal rescue was not a cat. This fact …
November 7, 2023I never turn down a chance to go to our local hardware …
October 17, 2023I love clay and the resulting ceramics that are formed …
September 26, 2017Americans will fight over anything these days, so it …
October 2, 2012Many of us are losing our minds. We are entitled to do …
February 9, 2016Our black cat, Taj, had a spectacular crazy time the …
August 29, 2017My mother was a librarian who loved books and …
May 18, 2021Many people enjoy keeping journals to mark the events …
October 17, 2017I recently read an explanation of the term …
January 11, 2022Unique, absurd, funny and decadent are the best words …
April 17, 2018Six deer came to dinner the other night. We had just …
May 13, 2014Food is not medicine. I recoil every time I hear it …
March 28, 2023My husband and I agree. “Deluxe” is a …
June 29, 2021As we approach the 245th celebration of our …
November 20, 2012My sympathy to all of you who will be taking a …
April 8, 2014The following is a fictitious diary. Warning: Shards …
March 24, 2021When I checked my calendar to see which date Easter …
August 2, 2021An extreme example of dimorphism occurred in one of …
June 4, 2024I am a true believer in the value of dinnertime. …
November 14, 2017I hope my species is as successful as the dinosaurs. …
May 24, 2022This post is going to be dirty. Memorial Day is coming …
July 4, 2023Please note: This is my once a year political blog for …
March 29, 2022The Age of Aquarius during the 60s was a time when …
May 14, 2024Some days, you just have to give up and laugh. We had …
May 26, 2020I recently read about a delightful way of social …
March 19, 2019For the last 31 years, I have traveled everywhere with …
August 23, 2022The other day I came across a group of mid-century cat …
June 30, 2015I don’t know if it is a blessing or a curse that …
April 23, 2024In case you missed this item in the news, some lucky …
June 13, 2023Doors are invitations. They beckon and cajole. Enter. …
October 6, 2020Earlier this year, I spent a long weekend helping a …
December 12, 2023Downtown department stores played a huge role in my …
August 11, 2015They are a bug that is easy to love. Dragonflies are …
February 20, 2024The world’s largest annual human migration is …
August 3, 2010I hurry home from work on summer days eager to see …
May 7, 2013Rubber Duckie WAS the one last week. This particular …
December 15, 2009You know you’re out West when the downtown …
January 7, 2014Going to the dump was a ritual of rural life in times …
May 2, 2023When I scan the business pages of the New York Times, …
May 23, 2023A few weeks back, I devoted my blog to the tragedy of …
June 17, 2014We have been ripped off. The sandy bluff in our front …
April 22, 2014Here are two basic facts: The earth can survive …
October 12, 2021Things were far less complicated and convoluted in the …
August 22, 2017Yesterday was the solar eclipse and we were duly …
March 19, 2013“People like to live on the edge,” I told …
April 11, 2023Elegant, exquisitely composed and lettered, the …
April 3, 2018Last week, I was driving west across the 311 miles of …
February 21, 2017Today marks the start of the eleventh year of The …
March 10, 2015I now know how to determine if I am in an emergency …
February 26, 2013I am not feeling blue. I’m not a blueblood, …
May 1, 2018Last Tuesday, my husband took matters into his own …
April 14, 2015Merriam-Webster defines ‘ephemera’ as …
March 16, 2021Epitome is a lovely word, and I saw an epitome in …
July 15, 2014“Anything I need to know?” I asked my …
February 13, 2024According to Hallmark, Americans send 145 million …
May 10, 2022The other day, my husband and I were following a car …
November 19, 2019The masterful writer, Elmore Leonard, said that a …
April 15, 2014Who’s afraid of the big, bad butter? Not me, and …
September 9, 2012“If you judge a fish on its ability to climb a …
October 20, 2015“How was your shopping experience?” the …
October 9, 2018We had a little explosion the other night before …
December 14, 2020A wonderful Christmas festival like no other is held …
August 22, 2023“I can’t believe summer is going by so …
April 16, 2024I woke up last Sunday to the news that Faith Ringgold …
October 21, 2014If you’ve enjoyed a juicy, fall apple lately, …
December 10, 2013If asked who my favorite author is, I would not …
November 23, 2021Everyone in America has heard the Thanksgiving story …
February 19, 2013The sun was stingy this month; the snow was not. …
December 23, 2014For those of us riding on the top half of the planet, …
March 21, 2017Michael Perry in his new book, Roughneck Grace, calls …
December 1, 2020No one in America views gas stations as exotic places. …
March 29, 2016The Kiwis just spent millions of dollars to keep the …
March 20, 2012Spring is a flirt. She comes sashaying in for a day or …
June 2, 2009With the help of our neighbors we salvaged the boat …
June 20, 2023In college, I chose botany over zoology figuring I …
June 25, 2013A few days ago, driving home with the groceries past …
September 15, 2015The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking …
June 5, 2018My local school district is one of the poorest in the …
July 10, 2018Getting older and getting more forgetful go hand in …
February 11, 2020As my husband and I wander the world together, we try …
June 28, 2022I made four attempts to write this blog. All failed. …
July 6, 2010Frances told me one night at dinner that she had no …
December 18, 2018“Frappuccino is such a silly word,” my …
July 11, 2017Last week, I was driving home through a small town …
May 3, 2011I’ve always loved Fridays. I was born on a …
February 9, 2021During these pandemic times, not being able to visit …
January 30, 2024A whimsical roadside attraction has appeared down the …
March 21, 2023I have a severe case of the recycling blues. And I …
August 4, 2020One of my favorite quotations is a song lyric whose …
May 28, 2013I am the curator of a delightful gallery of art. The …
June 12, 2012I do not have a gambling gene in my body. I simply …
April 2, 2024What would you do with a croissant, a coffee cup and a …
March 6, 2012The air reeked when we opened our car doors in the …
February 23, 2016I’ve never understood why anyone would want to …
September 29, 2020The song Rainy Night in Georgia was playing on Radio …
December 5, 2023My husband and I recently visited an art museum in a …
March 11, 2014Contrary to the charming tall tale, Paul …
April 5, 2010Perhaps women are forever frozen in the fashions that …
January 22, 2019Years ago, my husband had a friend with a watermelon …
December 9, 2014Glitter and glitz are sprinkling down unchecked in …
March 30, 2021Easter is almost upon us, and rabbits are on our …
November 27, 2012Now that Thanksgiving has past, it’s time to …
October 19, 2021It’s football season again, a sport I know …
October 23, 2012Halloween is fast approaching, but I am not into blood …
March 19, 2024I’m a lifelong lover of ice cream. But until …
May 19, 2015“Do you know what a grawlix is?” a young …
January 21, 2020We are decidedly in the thrall of the gray time of …
November 24, 2014I’ve run into hundreds of turkeys this past …
March 12, 2019I have a degree in art and have been an art teacher …
July 12, 2011It’s outdoor grilling season, and we …
February 2, 2015In honor of Groundhog’s Day and the …
August 19, 2014I will not feel guilty for suggesting that guilt is …
November 26, 2013I’m an art teacher and a firm believer in the …
April 1, 2014In addition to being married to the love of my life, I …
February 9, 2010Consider the heart. By far, it is my favorite graphic …
May 10, 2017I’ve always loved crows. Waking up to the …
September 18, 2018This blog is about getting high. It has nothing to do …
December 25, 2012Their house never had running water. Heat came from a …
July 4, 2017It’s the Fourth of July, and many of us are not …
August 15, 2023My husband recently shared a fascinating article with …
May 22, 2018I spent the first half of my day today doing a science …
September 12, 2023When it comes to making waves, one person has cornered …
December 24, 2019There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays and …
February 16, 2021Dogs are back in the White House, and that’s a …
February 23, 2021The Tooley cats were incensed when I published my blog …
April 9, 2024A great hotel is a small slice of heaven. All have a …
January 26, 2021I spent the first twenty years of my life in one …
November 20, 2018The art of the poster has always been a favorite of …
July 28, 2020Without a doubt, hummingbirds are tiny natural …
March 20, 2018I could say that my beach glass addiction is …
March 22, 2022For most of my adult life, friends and family have …
February 24, 2015March in the north country is known to induce cabin …
January 2, 2018Here is the news we’ve all been waiting …
June 5, 2012I am not a believer in self-help books. Although the …
June 4, 2019The color indigo is a fashion star this summer, …
February 18, 2014Eating out while traveling in America is no picnic. …
February 5, 2019Public art can bring joy or dismay. Either way, I …
November 5, 2019In America, I’m identified as a Badger …
April 9, 2013I recently heard a fascinating program on NPR on the …
August 18, 2015Last Monday we woke up to silence. Our tenants had …
July 21, 2015At times, I fantasize on things that should be …
December 3, 2019The other day I was reading and came across the word …
January 2, 2024In our house, I’m the chef and baker while my …
May 6, 2014The jazz comes on when the sun goes down. My husband …
September 30, 2014I have long subscribed to the theory that anybody who …
January 5, 2021I found these lines in Louise Penny’s most recent …
March 17, 2020I have been very lucky in my career choice. At age …
July 12, 2022A year ago this July, one of my best friends died. I …
June 27, 2017Americans love fads. Foods are no exception. At the …
November 22, 2011Valueless things can have immense value. Our …
February 13, 2018The artist Jim Dine is known for painting and …
December 13, 2011No one will ever call this cat “kitty”. …
December 4, 2012When something happy happens anywhere in the world, we …
June 28, 2016The steadfast copper lady will celebrate her 130th …
January 17, 2012What’s 1,000 feet long and takes a 3 month …
July 30, 2019Lakes are fluid in more than the literal sense. …
February 14, 2017I love old fashioned movies where the romantic couple …
May 4, 2010Last Friday we once again became landlords. Our …
July 6, 2021Lawns are the diabolical invention of the English …
June 2, 2020An important life skill is knowing with certainty …
November 28, 2017Whenever our family gets together, we tell lots of …
October 29, 2019“Would you like someone to tell horrible lies …
December 18, 2012The best Christmas decorations in the world start with …
July 9, 2013Souvenir shops near our house feature T-shirts with …
April 30, 2024Tomorrow, May 1, would be a lovely day to be in …
June 9, 2020The other day my husband alerted me to a news item he …
March 3, 2020The saying, “March comes in like a lion but goes …
January 2, 2019In the life of a marriage, the total time having sex, …
December 30, 2014As the year draws to an end, the list makers go into …
July 24, 2012Lizards do not cavort around in our backyard. The …
January 12, 2021Fads are nonsensical, unpredictable and fun. I love …
July 27, 2010Understanding the big picture is more important than …
March 14, 2023I love logos, those shorthand identifiers for the …
June 1, 2021When I was in my early teens, my parents let me take …
February 10, 2015I’ve always been an incurable romantic. I love …
August 14, 2012I am not a good photographer. Training in art enables …
April 21, 2020Elephants do not usually morph into Airbnbs. But this …
October 6, 2015I propose a moment of silence to remember the dear …
June 26, 2012We designed our front yard to be eaten. Now with wings …
July 9, 2019My knowledge of physics is almost nonexistent, but …
July 11, 2023The famous French architect, Le Corbusier (1887- 1965) …
February 21, 2012I am not attracted to guys in canary yellow suits, but …
October 25, 2011Sandra’s seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a …
June 10, 2014It’s hard to be creative with your mailbox. …
April 4, 2023Manners matter. They grease the mechanism of our human …
November 30, 2021Almost everyone loves pizza. A generous combination of …
December 2, 2014Pulling into the car wash the other day, I was behind …
May 14, 2013Don’t plan any vacations to Venus. Despite being …
May 4, 2021A peacock came in the mail last Thursday. He’s a …
May 30, 2017If I had to choose my favorite month, May would be the …
November 22, 2022In Frances Mayes’ most recent book, A Place in …
June 11, 2013I live surrounded by mermaids. These lovely ladies …
October 14, 2014Fall is being assertive. Memories of summer are …
June 18, 2024Sweden is known for its joyful midsummer (Midsommar in …
September 28, 2021One of the most popular words at this American moment …
April 10, 2018Things are getting a bit out of hand down at our local …
October 22, 2019I recently found a hilarious news item in the Iceland …
November 6, 2012Indulge me. This blog started six years ago as an …
December 11, 2018The other day at breakfast my husband asked me if …
February 15, 2011My mother was an Anglophile. A child of the Seifert …
January 16, 2024Many things in life start small. Sometimes on a whim. …
October 11, 2022I’ve been tempted, but I’ve resisted. Rows …
February 1, 2012My mother always got her facts straight. She was a …
April 25, 2017My husband and I have been watching a large McMansion …
October 19, 2010I gave up naps when I was one and a half. According to …
January 3, 2023I remember it vividly…lying on a rug, my eyes …
November 17, 2020Our fields are full of world travelers. A person …
January 15, 2014We knew it was time to move when the leaves …
September 6, 2016I’ve had a life long fascination with neon …
January 25, 2022I hope our daughter has thawed out. She’s been …
January 19, 2016To paraphrase Garrison Keillor, it’s been a …
August 7, 2012I was hooked on newspapers by age five. The old …
December 19, 2023Everyone knows these song lyrics about Santa Coming to …
December 1, 2015In his lifetime, Jan Steen painted six large, …
February 17, 2015My ninth year of weekly Suitcase Lady blogs begins …
April 13, 2010My husband and I do not chase fire trucks to watch …
November 1, 2022Nonsense. We all encounter some of it every day. And …
July 23, 2013The New York Times Science section recently had a lead …
January 29, 2013The idea is brilliant in its simplicity. About five …
September 17, 2019How’s this for an oxymoron. The other day I …
December 14, 2021The New York Times recently ran an editorial piece …
November 11, 2014November is a challenging month. For starters, its …
June 9, 2015Garden centers are dangerous places. Put me in a shoe …
January 6, 2015A friend recently told us a story that begged to be …
January 24, 2017One of our best Christmas presents was a fifty pound …
December 31, 2013I certainly hope that people aren’t going out of …
January 25, 2011A young relative of mine loves olives. His eyes dance …
April 26, 2022Down through the ages, many creative individuals have …
September 13, 2016No matter how it is spelled, omelette or omelet, this …
February 15, 2022“Well that is certainly an omen that we are …
January 7, 2020Whether a solar or lunar calendar is used, the turning …
December 27, 2022The other day I was looking up quotes about New Years …
May 23, 2017We went through 28 oranges last week. My husband and I …
April 18, 2017It’s the orgy to end all orgies. Narcisse, …
August 29, 2023Although it is always associated with Japan, origami, …
May 24, 2011Orioles will always be magical to me. When I was a …
November 4, 2014Sometimes it is necessary to take a stand. Last week …
July 17, 2018A few weeks ago, we were walking in a supremely …
December 5, 2017For most of my adult life, I’ve had a love/hate …
April 20, 2021When our family gets together, we invariably tell …
January 9, 2018I have come to the reluctant conclusion that I have to …
April 4, 2017An acquaintance of mine recently had a bad art …
January 4, 2022“It’s my birthday, and I can do whatever I …
March 17, 2015The topics for my weekly blogs come by serendipity. …
January 9, 2024Pandas are high on the list of charismatic animals. My …
December 28, 2021I’ve constructed a little wordplay to start …
August 2, 2016We had just found a parking spot on a busy street in …
January 29, 2019Last week, the New York Times’ food section ran …
September 8, 2015When I was three, I decided to be an artist. My …
June 25, 2024Most of us have been lucky enough to have had this …
December 25, 2018Christmas is here, and I didn’t get a partridge …
February 7, 2017My paternal grandmother knew how to multipurpose her …
August 9, 2022While zipping along in my car the other day, I heard a …
July 2, 2019Note: Although I purposefully do not venture into …
April 24, 2018Here is a wonderful piece of news. 1,500,000 penguins …
May 21, 2024Living surrounded by animals, I often wish I could see …
June 3, 2014Good things can happen when people work together. In …
October 28, 2021The other day I saw an advertisement for a 2022 …
November 18, 2014Almost all of us probably harbor some mild …
June 7, 2011Pie attracts tourists like flies. Throw in an obscure …
May 27, 2014“I think we are in trouble menu-wise,” I …
December 13, 2016We had a Charlie Brown Christmas tree last year. These …
September 1, 2015The New York Times recently ran a rosy hued obituary. …
June 7, 2022Watch out for them. They’re coming soon to a …
July 13, 2021Thieves steal the weirdest things. Take, for example, …
June 23, 2020As a graphic designer, I try to keep up with the …
July 2, 2024Disclosure: With one exception, I write a short, …
June 12, 2018A grocery store in the Netherlands just made news by …
June 18, 2013For thirty years, Andre Soltner was the chef at …
July 20, 2021All the seasons have their beauty, but summer is in a …
March 1, 2022It all began in Scotland in 2006. The Scottish …
November 12, 2013It can only happen once in every year. I glance out …
December 17, 2013I am not a polar bear. Therefore, I am seriously …
March 31, 2015My husband is calm, rational, caring and as grounded …
August 31, 2021I recently learned an interesting fact about Henry, a …
September 5, 2023My husband and I were recently seated in an …
December 16, 2014“I’m letting you know right now that I …
October 1, 2019I am emphatically not the most popular human being in …
July 1, 2014Southerners have raised porch sitting to an art form. …
October 29, 2013One of my favorite Halloween poems is by Nancy …
July 22, 2014We went to the farm store the other day to buy a can …
July 3, 2012Americans used to have something called civic pride. …
October 13, 2015Japanese woodblock prints are among my favorite types …
February 7, 2012Privacy is dead. Although my husband and I both value …
April 16, 2013“There’s a big one, go get it!” the …
October 26, 2021It’s impossible to go anywhere these days and …
July 23, 2019A friend recently sent us a minute-long video she …
September 13, 2022Note: My mother bought me the Coronation Coloring Book …
November 14, 2023Quick, what do Mumbai, Tokyo, Champ-Elysees, Paris, …
December 13, 2022Our planet is geologically active. Or, as I explain to …
July 28, 2015Now is the quintessence, the epitome and the apex. …
April 19, 2022From the time I was a small child, I have loved …
March 5, 2013I am looking forward to summer in the libraries with …
January 26, 2016Periodically, a perplexing post has popped up from a …
July 12, 2016I heard a lovely radio essay on rain last week. The …
September 14, 2021The man who put a rainbow in my kitchen cupboard died …
October 30, 2018The moon is bright, the nights are chill: It’s …
July 10, 2012Here is the surest way to get someone not to read a …
February 27, 2024The other day it occurred to me that reality is fast …
January 23, 2018Officially, it is not a word. It doesn’t appear in the …
May 20, 2014“If you find a piece of red beach glass, you …
March 22, 2011I’m guessing our red squirrels sleep soundly at …
May 7, 2024For many years, in early April, my husband and I would …
February 12, 2013Liz was a smashing redhead. “I’ve got …
April 30, 2013I saw two big redheads standing in a field beside the …
June 30, 2020As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, I believe a …
October 24, 2023Pumpkins are a most versatile squash. They can be …
February 14, 2023Robert Waldinger knows a lot about happiness. He is …
March 18, 2014Sex, faith and relaxation are three things that …
August 2, 2011We run a 24 hour diner in our backyard known as the …
May 28, 2019Spring has been extremely reluctant to come this year. …
April 23, 2013The hour before sunset on an ocean beach exudes calm. …
July 8, 2014After eighteen years, The Tooley Cafe has been …
February 2, 2016I recently heard some pundit on National Public Radio …
February 20, 2018If you would like to start the New Year over again, …
June 14, 2022My son and I have come to the same, sad conclusion. …
April 30, 2019My husband and I are news junkies and frequently …
April 6, 2021Note: I wrote this blog last year, just before Covid …
March 10, 2020We don’t have any roosters at our house, but we …
October 22, 2013“Smell goes into the emotional parts of the …
June 13, 2017None of us who fly economy class on American airlines …
March 7, 2023The sky was unleashing buckets of rain with …
June 19, 2012If I say “watermelon”, you might say …
March 1, 2016“I would like a tomato next week,” my …
July 18, 2017Say the word “sand” and most of us think …
May 12, 2020On Mother’s Day, I looked out the window and the …
February 2, 2021Whether you call them schnecken, schnecke or schnecks, …
September 1, 2014Starting with kindergarten, I’ve gone back to …
December 24, 2013My grandmother gave me her elegant little scissors …
June 30, 2009In three years of writing blogs I have failed to …
September 23, 2014The vote is in, and the Scots have decided to keep the …
December 17, 2019Norway is a land that loves Christmas and one of their …
April 5, 2022Sharing isn’t just for kindergartners. …
November 21, 2023In the past 16 years, I have written 874 (almost …
August 1, 2023I am resigned to turning myself into a faux sheep, and …
February 6, 2024Waiting for a bus in America is not an ambient …
August 30, 2022Are you as fed up as I am with shrinkflation? That is …
June 25, 2019Last weekend we met the Eastern branch of our family …
November 22, 2016Several months ago, our daughter ended a long work day …
June 21, 2022The other day I was reading an article entitled, …
April 7, 2015I am surrounded by smarts. Almost everyone I know has …
October 31, 2012If there is one thing America excels at, it is excess. …
September 26, 2023Our species is not known for its acute sense of smell. …
June 14, 2011I once had lunch with a python. We were in a ramada at …
August 2, 2022People like beer. People like music. People like food …
December 22, 2020How would you like to live inside a star or a …
February 21, 2023Here’s an enigma. How do you paint white …
February 5, 2013“We are going to see snow for the very first …
December 11, 2012We had our first snowstorm of the season this week, …
September 4, 2012We heard them before we saw them. One morning last …
March 26, 2019The state of Utah is in the process of designing a new …
October 9, 2012My husband started laughing at the breakfast table as …
June 19, 2018I was reading my New Yorker magazine the other morning …
March 9, 2022A store of happy memories from my childhood revolve …
June 11, 2024We were eating breakfast while watching a steady …
January 18, 2022French street artist Youri Cansell, a.k.a. Mantra, …
May 11, 2010Only Robert B. Parker could write a line like …
October 10, 2023Earth rotates on its axis at about 1,000 miles per …
December 31, 2019This blog is about spirits, not the alcoholic ones, …
July 17, 2012Can any sound be more wonderful than the …
May 21, 2013This past winter was harsh, but now we are being …
July 19, 2023Our daughter has squirrel problems. You might be …
September 6, 2022For some unknown reason, we humans love to stack …
December 23, 2015We are on the cusp of Christmas, and some joy is in …
January 19, 2021I found myself awake at 4:00 AM the other morning. …
February 28, 2012Flying isn’t a picnic. It’s an exercise in …
August 17, 2010Sometimes you have to leave home to discover …
October 15, 2013Judy’s story came to an end on October 7, 2013. …
November 10, 2020We had a little explosion here a few weeks ago. I was …
October 18, 2016The upcoming Presidential election seems to be a …
November 8, 2022This intriguing picture recently popped up on my …
June 27, 2023The other day I did something so incredibly idiotic …
October 11, 2016I added a wonderful word to my vocabulary last week …
May 11, 2021In my way of thinking, movies and music should not …
March 6, 2018The car is gone. I am referring to the car on the ice …
August 16, 2016This story is a sequel to my blog of May 7, 2013 …
October 25, 2022This Halloween marks a first for my husband and me. …
February 16, 2016I spotted a small, framed quotation in my favorite …
September 5, 2017As a new school year starts, here is a true story …
July 3, 2018In the city down the road from us is what purports to …
December 3, 2013I have tried extremely hard for many years to like …
January 10, 2012I may have to skip 2012. Pantone, the color gurus in …
July 14, 2015My husband and I drove from Denver to Taos last …
September 29, 2015Fall is tardy this year. Autumn officially arrived on …
March 24, 2020A note before I begin: Fourteen years ago, I began …
September 22, 2015“What do you have against tea?” I asked my …
April 3, 2013I must begin by stating that I still love lizards. …
May 31, 2022I started buying my clothes in thrift stores when I …
November 6, 2018Brexit may be tearing Europe apart, but the big news …
September 9, 2014I recently read a New Yorker article which delved into …
January 22, 2013“Lady, don’t drive anywhere without a …
November 10, 2009One of my all time favorite movies is “The Brave …
July 16, 2013My lack of gardening skills is legendary. I am the …
July 3, 2013Assume nothing. This advice is a splendid way to avoid …
March 12, 2013“I just don’t have the right tools,” …
November 27, 2018The inspiration for this blog comes from my cousin, a …
November 13, 2012Thanks to my husband, we have become trackers. I am …
August 17, 2021The John Michael Kohler Art Center’s Art Preserve has …
May 14, 2019I had an interesting conversation with a second grader …
October 16, 2012My uncle was an intrepid world traveler. One rainy …
August 8, 2023I love spotting trends. Whether in food, fashion or …
July 27, 2021I never imagined I would be writing a post about …
April 2, 2019The other day my husband was absorbed at his computer, …
May 10, 2016My first encounter with tulips did not end well. …
May 17, 2016This blog is for Joan, my favorite chelonophile. The …
March 28, 2017Samuel Clemens, a.k.a. Mark Twain, has been popping up …
September 18, 2012We are beginning to get a glimmer of understanding …
May 25, 2021This weekend, Memorial Day, marks the start of our …
March 26, 2024It all began with a sculpture. From that single piece …
January 31, 2023Take 26 letters. Turn them loose with creative people. …
May 30, 2023I once was hired to do a children’s program at a …
July 25, 2023I just ran across a bizarre news item. Japan Air Lines …
June 16, 2020Driving home from a hike last Saturday, we spotted a …
June 22, 2021Name about any food and you will probably have been …
December 6, 2011My daughter is the universal woman. How did this state …
April 24, 2012Venus has been putting on a spectacular show lately. …
May 12, 2015A rainbow must have been overhead on the day Vera …
May 30, 2011America is a weird country. We got a call from our vet …
January 3, 2017Taking a walk is a great pleasure. It is also …
December 15, 2015It’s been a tough year for the trees along our …
March 12, 2024When I was dating my husband, he took me to northern …
September 17, 2013The week is a human invention. Years, seasons, months …
September 12, 2017On June 17, 2008, I posted a blog on how to wash a …
May 22, 2012In Asia it is the Year of the Dragon, but where we …
January 8, 2019I was driving down the Will Rogers Turnpike in …
February 1, 2022We ailurophiles (cat lovers) in America have cause to …
February 25, 2014I do not like extremely windy days. The exhilaration …
March 25, 2014My mother-in-law, Vera, sent e-mail messages before …
October 4, 2022The other day, I painted a dinosaur. This was not an …
November 24, 2020It’s hard not to love Pop Art, that genre that …
October 18, 2011My husband and I have a surefire prescription for joy. …
December 27, 2011“Stay tuned, “the announcer said, …
August 27, 2013Labor Day has become the psychological end of summer …
January 31, 2017Christo and his late wife, Jeanne-Claude, are …
October 4, 2011I am not afraid of bread. I love bread and eat it for …
April 12, 2022Sometimes it is a wonderful thing to be wrong. I am …
March 13, 2012March has roared in and with it the annual month long …
October 31, 2023When it comes to monsters, ghosts, ghouls, spooks, …
December 10, 2019Our son had a fascination with Druids when he was in …
January 10, 2017I’ve noticed an uptick in news from Canada …
July 19, 2016I have just finished reading The True Secret of …
June 15, 2010We northerners will come to the end of the sky road …
May 8, 2012I should be a fan of graphic novels. As a kid, I spent …