June is nearly here, taking me by surprise – I almost missed Beyond the Ripples second birthday! Like with many things, in some respects I feel it as if the book was only just released, while it also seems as if it has been with me for much longer. And yes, while Annie and Frank … Continue reading Ripples turns two…and
Oregon
October three years ago…
How can it be a mere three years since I first became a published author? Remember back to those seemingly delicious times prior to 2020? A friend recently shared that the futuristic movie Soylent Green was placed in the year 2020. (When I fact-checked this I found it to be set in 2022, oh no!) … Continue reading October three years ago…
A tribute to Clackamas County
This is the first week in awhile I haven't been able to distract myself from all that is going on to continue to focus on my Work in Progress. Most days, even with COVID-19, I get to my day job stuff early in the morning so to try to leave some brain space for late … Continue reading A tribute to Clackamas County
What I wish I knew before
So, you say, your partner (loved one, spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend) has decided to run for a political office? I decided, perhaps it would be helpful for me to come up with some tips I've learned over the past almost 8 years, about what to expect. Take them as you like, in jest or full seriousness. … Continue reading What I wish I knew before
In appreciation of Oregon’s Century Farms
Fiala Farms Note: I wrote this blog earlier this year, but never posted it. It was one of three blogs I either crafted or updated to complete the topics I felt needed to be represented in my February 2020 released e-book: THEN, NOW, AND IN-BETWEEN: Place, Memories, and Loss in Oregon. Today, while on a … Continue reading In appreciation of Oregon’s Century Farms
What matters
I haven't posted a blog for a bit. I had words and thoughts to share, but when I got here to do so I realized my new words aren't important in this moment. Words by others are. This is what matters now. Works to watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8jUA7JBkF4 "...Having white privilege is like having a head start … Continue reading What matters
Oregon, football and stadiums: a recap
When I first wrote the blog Early Portland and the flying pigskin I had no idea I was merely scratching the surface of this fascinating topic. And, whereas I frequently remind folks that I am no historian, I do find the stories I have learned to be an interesting and welcoming distraction during these times … Continue reading Oregon, football and stadiums: a recap
Stories of our generation: Mount St. Helens
Each generation holds memories unique to a time period, influenced by place. I have no doubt all of us alive today will forever remember the impact the novel coronavirus makes on our lives, creating unique but oddly similar stories, many of them sad. For people living in the Pacific Northwest on May 18, 1980, the … Continue reading Stories of our generation: Mount St. Helens
This one’s for Karen
Our dear friend Karen died on February 4 of this year, 11 days prior to my release of Then, Now, and In-Between: Place, Memories, and Loss in Oregon. Karen was loved by so many: friends like me and students and co-workers and sisters and brothers and nephews and sons and a daughter and her husband … Continue reading This one’s for Karen
Books as a refuge in times of fear
During World War I, our grandfather began a lending (rental) library during the summer months in Ocean Park, Washington. He had access to books from his grandfather J.K. Gill's Portland bookstore, and imagined that people needed escape. Although we aren't now facing a war, the health crisis around the world has separated us into people … Continue reading Books as a refuge in times of fear
