This fall in Colorado has been unlike any I can remember despite being a native of the state. The variety of vibrant colors of the leaves and the length of time they hung around has been breath taking. Autumn this year has been more like those on the East coast. Colorado finally lived up to…
As Thanksgiving approaches gratitude is on the forefront of my mind. When I think of gratitude I also think of happiness. In my opinion the two go hand-in-hand, so when I heard about my dad’s “Happiness Calendar” I knew I had to share the idea. My dad likes to keep track of things, miles biked,…
When I was in high school a friend from Spain came to visit for the summer. Her English was very good but she couldn’t remember the word, smile. Whenever the word escaped her she filled in as best she could and substituted the words “happy teeth” instead. I have never forgotten the phrase. At times…
Meet Malucca my eleven year old Portuguese Water Dog. In Portuguese his name means crazy. He does an excellent job of living up to his name. We have found him jumping on the trampoline and sliding down playground slides. Crazy I know, but not as crazy as his being terrified of water. Some water dog,…
My seventeen-year-old daughter knows how to own it. She used to be the mascot for her middle school, but set it aside during high school, until recently. Leave it to her senior year to put on the high school mascot costume. Most people think being a mascot would be embarrassing enough on its own. Take…
It’s my belief that the majority of people are good. Why then do bad things happen to good people? The truth is, life happens to all people. Good things and bad things occur in the lives of good and bad people. Life doesn’t decipher people or situations into categories. There is no separating the deserving…
Not many people are willing to put the needs of others before their own, but my friend Angela is that kind of person. In the past year she has endured significant health complications due to a combination of multiple sclerosis and covid. She’s been in and out of the hospital for lengthy stays, but that…
There’s no doubt that fresh squeezed orange juice is better than any store bought kind. Sure there’s something to be said about the convenience of what comes off the shelf, but the taste isn’t nearly as good. Fresh squeezed orange juice is sweeter tasting and sweeter smelling. The texture is thicker, the color brighter. Juicing…
Flowers fascinate me. They are beautiful at every stage of their life. What seems fragile is remarkably strong. It’s amazing how blossoms know when to emerge and when to retreat. Flowers patiently sit below the surface waiting for the right time to appear. As they wait they gather their strength to push through the tough…
The EVVY Awards are the like the Emmys but for self-published books. Several months ago I submitted my book Pink Elephants to the Colorado Independent Publishers Association for an EVVY award. I was notified that I was a finalist in the category of Parenting. This is a huge accomplishment, especially for a first time author. I…