Imperfect Peace
The Bend of Dismal Creek
I grew up on the bend of Dismal Creek, an Appalachian holler that offers nothing to brag about, except I probably know a thing or two about living a solitary life surrounded by trees and wildflowers. Nature sustained me, nature nourished me, and above all nature...
Something Significant
I work hard at trying to turn my mind into a useful tool instead of the annoying nuisance it tends to be. It distorts reality and often fills me with dread. Sometimes, I call Betty June and ask her if we can meet for coffee and discuss my wayward thoughts. She’s an...
Old Age Gear
Betty June laughs at me when we set off for a walk along a dirt path not a mile long. I’m busy stuffing a collapsible walking stick, pain pills, Band Aids, and a water bottle in my knapsack. She laughs like a female contralto with a voice so dark it sounds like a man...
On Rainy Days
The laziness of a rainy day allows me to sink into a malaise and enjoy every complaint that’s been lingering in the corners of my mind since the last ‘weather event’. Mostly, I complain about all the aches and pains that come from early injuries and when older turn...
A La-Z-Boy Life
I don’t understand my peer group. Recently, I’ve noticed they enjoy a La-Z-Boy life, usually with their companion animal lying next to them and a thermos of water in an attached cupholder. Some spend nights in their La-Z-Boys finding them more comfortable than a bed....
What Took You So Long?
My dog Yuki was a silent talker only heard by those who understood animal communication often called telepathy. It’s a language of love and vibrations traveling on the air waves to anyone receptive enough to hear these atmospheric sounds turn into words. The first day...
Stray Thoughts
Sometimes, I fail to get ahold of my mind, which allows it to ramble silently over my failures, memories, and aspirations. Yes, even at almost seventy, I have aspirations, although I whittled them down some from wanting to be a Nobel Laureate and a girl champion...
An Arrestable Offence
If one more person tells me I laugh too much, I’m gonna split a gut laughing. I can’t help myself. I was born with a sense of the absurd and an ornery streak that makes the people around me uncomfortable over the possibility I might commit an arrestable offense. The...
A Dog’s Smile
People ask me why I use animals in my social media posts instead of people, especially when I’m calling attention to the life of a writer, the illusory world, or a dog’s smile being worth more than a Van Meer painting. Naturally, they wonder how my mind works and do I...
Inspiration for Where Cows Dance
My novel Where Cows Dance expresses the good fortune of those of us who grew up with cows and experienced the tenderness of their feelings. Unfortunately, they are viewed by many as sub-human and more likely than not to be exploited for every piece of their bodies...