Words from the Heart

Spring seems like the perfect time to ask ourselves, "What is creativity and how does it apply to me?" Creativity is the ability to step outside what is known, take note of a particular situation or problem, and then develop or make something original that has value to the creator as well as others.   As women, we create in ways too many to count.  Unfortunately though, through the centuries, we have forgotten how creative we are.  We have forgotten that we have the ability to make something from next to nothing.  We have forgotten that when life hands us lemons, we make lemonade or lemon meringue pie or lemon drops or even lemon chicken. During the next four weeks, as we approach the spring equinox, we will take a look at creativity.  We will hear from some women who have found new ways to see things, imagine things, do things. I invite you, the readers, to share stories of the creative women in your life.  Let us know how they have touched...

   Still My Momma's Baby (circa 1990's)   I have written, often, here about my childhood, about my crazy dysfunctional family and about how my passion for the written word has kept me whole.  Recently, as I responded to a comment made during an interview I gave for the blog, Writers in Business , I was flooded by memories. Like a movie camera being clicked into action, I began seeing myself at the kitchen table with Momma reading poetry and then, curled up on the couch with her as she recited from memory, The Charge of the Light Brigade .  I could practically hear her repeating the words from Frost's Mending Wall . The last image that came to mind was opening the letter I received from the Horn Book Club for Children telling me that, while the submission I sent wasn't accepted for publication, they wanted to congratulate me being a poet and writer. Momma didn't say so, but I think she was very proud. Me, 1960 - Writer and Poet!   It is possible that w...

 Red Climbers Roses are Red. Violets are Blue. This blog post is written, just for YOU! What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day, but to remember the beauty of roses. I have often said that my beloved, Roger, didn't promise me a rose garden, he created one, which he did!  He knew my passion for roses, therefore, when we were planting our gardens, he made sure that I was continually surprised to find roses here and there. Roses have been used as symbols of love, passion, harmony and gratitude for many years.  Different colors of rose symbolize different emotions.  My favorite color roses are the lilac roses that are florabunda, which means they bloom frequently.  They also have a wonderful scent.  Interestingly, these were the first roses Roger planted in our garden.  I was thrilled to learn, recently that they indicate that the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted!  How wonderful! Here are some ...

Winter has been difficult this year on many levels.  There's the cold, the feelings of isolation, the issues with snow removal not to mention accidents, sore muscles, snow blindness and all those personal demons that rear their ugly heads when we are not at our best...  Usually, I do well staying "up." However... The last week we accumulated over two feet of snow in three days.  Flashbacks to my life on the Air Force base in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (UP) came flooding back.  Literally, my heart has been racing, palms sweaty, nerves on edge.  Snow reaching the first floor windowsills somehow opened the door for the demons of my past. Enchanted Cottage after the February 2011 storms The UP can be breathtakingly beautiful.  On the other hand, it can be heartbreaking, too.  With an average snow accumulation of 200 inches (5 meters!), the UP overwhelms the senses.  Just to get there you cross a huge suspension bridge that is nearly five mil...