You haven’t baked in a long time, and you’re going through a lot right now. You miss your grandmother, who always wanted to be called “Nana.” “It’s classier,” she’d say, “I’m a classy […]
How to Make Your Dead Grandmother’s Cheesecake Brownies
A Must Read Essay
The author of the essay “Whatever Happened to ________?” published anonymously, because she had to. Stalked by an ex-husband who freaked out due to her greater success as a writer, she has […]
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 […]
Christmas is Coming, But It’s Not Here Yet
Last week I said I’d write about my favorite Christmas traditions (plural), but when I started writing about my favorite one it took over this whole post. The tradition: Advent. Now, I […]
Christmas Magic: Three Caveats From An Elf
For adults, the holiday season is not an easy one at the best of times. Around Thanksgiving, the pressure starts to make this time “perfect” for ourselves and those around us–especially those […]
Doing the Dishes at 50 or How to Change Your Perspective on the Mundane
My niece is 22 years old. She has Cystic Fibrosis. Ginny’s life has bent towards a timeline. When she was born, CF patients lived until they were 14. When she was 14, the […]
The Gloria Sirens 