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.
My son stopped by recently with his oldest daughter. It was a whirlwind visit, but 3-year-old Hannah ensured we did a little bit of everything. We used the swing and slide. We picked peas and…
Read MoreMy dad was not a particularly vocal man. In most cases, he showed us rather than told us what we needed to know. On our family farm, work came first. Dad definitely showed us about…
Read MoreThe editing task in front of me is daunting. The average novel runs about 350 pages and 85,000 words. The first draft of my manuscript weighed in at a scale-busting 130,000 words. Even though there…
Read MoreMy parents were married on June 7, 1942. They’d be celebrating 70 years together today, so in their memory, here’s a little of their story. A Wisconsin farm boy, Harvey Denter left home during the…
Read MoreMy normal tendency is to worry. But the prairie has taught me at least two things: 1) the prairie can take care of itself and 2) my worrying about it accomplishes nothing. So I approached…
Read MoreMy granddaughter Eliza took her first solo steps on Sunday. And she did it right in front of me. How lucky is that? Her mom and dad and sister saw it too. We applauded. We…
Read MoreI put the hard hat on because they made me. It felt awkward though the safety glasses were even worse, perched over my regular glasses and so scratched seeing through them was a challenge. Not…
Read MoreIn 1915, Effie Gladding came to Iowa to drive the Lincoln Highway, as she said, “in the spirit of the open road and the flying wheel.” Since almost the entire length of the road across…
Read MoreEvery stage of life presents risks, offers opportunities to step out of our comfort zones, to find meaning for our lives, but the significance feels greater as we transition from childhood to adulthood and for…
Read MoreMy mom had macular degeneration, a disease that destroys straight ahead vision but leaves peripheral vision. She could no longer sew or read or see the faces of people right in front of her, but…
Read More