Thoughts about writing, and the universe.
We have a short spring break this year, and with Covid numbers at their highest yet in Norway, any travel is confined to the local area. I have been using the time to write, read, cook, and hike. Although it is still cold, some very welcome sunshine the last two days sent us out onto... Continue Reading →
When the tide recedes, great shards of frozen fjord shatter against the shore. The ocean leaves them there as it pulls back from the land, and they pile up in a jagged ruin that stretches all around the bay at Flekkefjord. When the sun is blazing and the tide is moving at its fastest, you... Continue Reading →
My husband and I took the money we would have spent on a trip back to the US this summer and bought a Raku kiln for our ongoing ceramics adventure. After more than a month's wait, the kit arrived finally in late July, and my husband spent a whole day (until about 11:00pm) working through... Continue Reading →
A week ago, just as I was finalizing last week's blog post, I received an email letting me know that a magazine wanted to publish a short piece I had submitted to them. Oh? They do? Oh! Oh my. My that feels good. It has taken me some time, some grief, and lots of effort.... Continue Reading →
I'm afraid a quick post today is all that I can manage. I've slept in late (9:44 the time reads now), and at 11:30 I'll head on down to campus for the Sunday study hall I lead, three meetings with students scheduled up, and a set of tests haranguing me for grades. It's also my... Continue Reading →
This morning, Sunday, the frost has spread out over the land, licking up to the edges of the water, playing its spider-crystals from leaf to fence to the slippery road. Winter is on its way, and as the nights creep ever closer to the afternoon, with their wild jump forward at daylight savings time last... Continue Reading →
Today's post moves away a bit from writing. I apologize, even as I violate key blogger advice of "sticking to one's niche." In truth, this post is about what has been making it hard for me to do much writing recently, committed as I remain. Readers, I thank you for sticking with me. I can... Continue Reading →
When the train doors open, we can already feel the heat. Nine forty-five, cloudless sky, the second heatwave of the summer sliding leisurely through Europe. We are spending the day in Pompeii. We've taken the train over from Naples, six euros for the express with air conditioning, three euros for the slow train. Last night,... Continue Reading →
In the eastern parts of Umbria, the land lofts up from fertile valleys into rich-forested mountains. These are the Apennines, a range I'd heard mentioned before but knew nothing of, a string of low mountains stretching the full length of the Italian peninsula. Yesterday, on a recommendation from our Italian language teacher, we drove out... Continue Reading →
Not a writing-related post today, at least not explicitly. I'm departing tomorrow for summer travels. We'll be in Italy, and my plan is to make a large amount of time while we're there for writing. Best wishes to you, with love,Jimmy Bird tracks, April 13, 2013 In November of 2016, my computer crashed. Just a... Continue Reading →
Words like trees 