In 1918, my great-grandmother, Frances Pengelski, was married with two babies under two years old, living in relative poverty in Brooklyn. I was fortunate to know my nana well. The year I […]
Lessons from Nana
Spaying and Neutering: It’s a Dog’s Life
“But it is an emergency,” I want to say, or rather wail, as the woman on the other end of the phone says goodbye. No, this isn’t about COVID-19 or any other […]
Cherish, Dream, Live
I have been in absolute panic mode now for almost a full week. The health scares in the news are perfectly designed to hit dead-center in the Venn diagram that comprise my […]
Five Things Driving Has Taught Me About How to Take Things Less Personally
When I drive, I tend not to take things personally. Interestingly, my practice in doing this on the road translates very well into how not to take things personally in my life.
How to Leave A Legacy Without Knowing It
In 1981 my dad pulled our sky blue K car wagon into the Corrine gate at the naval base in Orlando, Florida. This would be our home. He served his final post […]
Go Ahead, Fence Me In
It was dark when we pulled into the driveway on the night in question. The car’s headlights illuminated the brilliant, white fence that marks the property line between the driveway and an […]
On Breaks and Connections
This week the kids went back to school after our beautifully long winter break, and I’m drowning in silence. I miss them. It’s hard, after the house has been full of joy, […]
Tucked Away by Ann LaBar Russek
It’s a New Year and time to “untuck” in 2020. Find some time with pen in hand, and let loose those private aspirations, those longings you’ve kept tucked away for a very […]
A Very Incarnational Christmas
When Henry was ten, he was invited to do a reading in the children’s choir Christmas concert. The reading from the book of Luke also happens to be what Linus says during […]
4 Easy Dog Tricks for Great Holiday Pictures
This holiday season take unforgettably lovable pictures of your dog! Pose your dog in a group shot with the family in front of the tree, wearing reindeer antlers, or peeking up from […]
The Gloria Sirens 