Sketch of a Mountain Home

I never really notice my house till I clean it. You know, all the furniture, the colors, how dirty it actually is, etc. And then, above it all, I notice the mountains rising up behind the windows and suddenly all the mismatched colors, the eccentric arrangement of chairs and tables strugglig to give definition to the rambling [...]

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Romanticism 101

Life as a romantic is difficult. “Duh,” you might say, “a quick glance at a Norton Anthology could tell you that!” But no, my complaint is not that of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, that only the barren elements can comprehend the vital passion of the romantic hero, thus rendering him an outcast from humanity. No offense to Byron, [...]

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To say something good….

Mom always warned that if I couldn’t say anything good I shouldn’t say anything at all.  It is a good rule, and quite practical for reducing fights between young children.
I have learned to live by this rule when dealing with my family and it has done enough good in that sector that the time has [...]

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