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.
“Poems are a declaration of hope in language” – Maya Chung voices echo, beckon, come; even tree frogs sing, cicadae’s fiddle, coyotes howl. If we but sit quietly, listen attentively, though we believe…
Read MoreI’ve undertaken a new creative venture – poetry. Inspired by Poetry Palooza, a poetry-focused event I attended last April, I’ve joined friends who are also interested in giving poetry a try. Most people I mention…
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Human rights have been under attack in Iowa. The onslaught of abortion bans, book bans, and laws targeting LGBTQ+ children – all laws passed by the Iowa legislature this year – has been soul crushing.…
Read More“What epitaph do you want on your tombstone?” the workshop facilitator asked. After a little thought, I scribbled down, “She Had No Regrets.” At that time I’d recently experienced a moment of clarity about my…
Read More“Go out and do something, even if it’s wrong!” That was the advice my husband’s mother gave to her eleven children. While the ‘even if it’s wrong’ part leads me to imagine all sorts of…
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How can integrating America’s art and racial history tell a broader and more accurate story of our country than we commonly see? A remarkable exhibit at Crystal Bridges Museum encouraged me to see it can be…
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“Let’s be reasonable and add an eighth day to the week that is devoted exclusively to reading.” – Lena Dunham After reading my post on struggling to read and write, my friend Jean Balser shared…
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The recent arrest of two black men at a Philadelphia Starbucks raised again the issue of how people of different races are treated in the United States. It’s highly unlikely two white men sitting in…
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On International Women’s Day I salute the women who made the greatest impact on me. They were teachers and encouragers. All of them. My mother, Ruby Denter. She was strong and determined. Until she married…
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