Blog
As a curious observer of life, I blog on writing, marketing, my prairie - anything that interests me in the moment. I like to have conversations with readers, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I'll respond.
Inspired by the movie “Julie and Julia,” our dinner group tackled Julia Child’s Boeuf Bourguignon. The five-hour preparation time encouraged us to cook the day ahead of our dinner. The instructions promised the dish would…
Read MoreI am thinking that ‘Grandma’ may be the very best word in the English language. My granddaughters came to visit on Sunday. Their parents in tow. While the youngest is still a baby in arms,…
Read MoreCoffee shop. Ice cream parlor. Lunch counter. But that’s the least of it. My favorite coffee shop these days is Smokey Row just off I-235 at MLKing in Des Moines. The thing I love about…
Read MoreHave you noticed how when you’re away from a place for a while and then come back, it all looks different? I was always struck by how our kitchen on the farm always looked so…
Read MoreI made a return trip to the High Trestle Trail Bridge last night – to see the sunset and experience the bridge at night. All I can say is, Wow! By day, you stand…
Read MoreI was on the trail and then I wasn’t. A friend and I were biking the Great Western Trail south of Des Moines yesterday. The day was beautiful – sunshine, 70’s, generally level. We were…
Read MoreThe Iowa State Fairis all about the food, right? Food we eat and enjoy and then regret when we remember the calories? Well, the Fair offers huge banquets to enjoy that contain not one single…
Read MoreThe Iowa State Fairis all about ____________ (fill in the blank) Everybody thinks of something when they go to the Fair. Food on a stick. The big boar. The Midway. Livestock judging. The Butter Cow.…
Read MoreBiking in Italy was excellent training for Iowa. I didn’t huff and puff on my trusty red one-speed for nothing. That old baby prepared me well. When I take to my neighborhood streets, these…
Read MoreI joined the PurpleStride Iowa pancreatic cancer walk on Saturday, in memory of a friend who died of the disease, and to offer moral support to his wife and children. There were hundreds of us…
Read More