I can remember the moment and see it in my mind — we were gathered in front of the entrance to Robert Frost Hall (on the SNHU campus). Surrounded by other first-year MFA’ers and some of that year’s graduating students, I had the sense that I had found ‘my people’. I am not a joiner…
Category: 2009
A New Home for My Photography and Writing
Your warm and encouraging comments about my photography have sparked a new idea: JOY CARDS — pocket-sized editions of my home & garden, craft, pet, food, and dance photography. Each image is enhanced with a custom motivational phrase on the back side. Now available in my new etsy shop. Come take a look! I’m working…
How to Wear a Party on Your Wrist: Make a Spiny Knotted Bracelet
It was a long time coming, but I finally learned how to make Stephanie Sersich‘s Spiny Knotted Bracelet. I’ve been admiring photos of her work and aching to learn how to make one of these ‘wearable parties’ forever. Her book, Designing Jewelry with Glass Beads, provides easy to follow instructions, complete with how-to illustrations. My…
Super-sized Serving of Wisdom and Inspiration
It was an action- and inspiration-packed week. And there was even another author event at Portsmouth’s Music Hall with Tracy Kidder, but I didn’t have the presence of mind to snap a photo. Ann Hood is the visiting author this year at Southern New Hampshire University. I totally loved her novel, The Knitting Circle and…
Creating the Lovable Life
Last night I needed something to read, a segue between 10 hours of memoir-focused writing (with more than a few email, facebook and snack breaks, I confess) and some shut-eye. I went to my bookshelf and selected Live What You Love by Bob and Melinda Blanchard. If you haven’t read their first book, A Trip…
Holding on to summer with a pink passion
With the dinner plate dahlias still rejoicing in the garden, there is the illusion that the calendar pages haven’t yet turned towards the next season. Today I’m going on a giant Artist Date: visiting a number of artists’ studios on the Nashua Art Walk. And then there’s a dance lesson. A delicious day of inspiration and…
Will Armchair Travel Cure Travel-bug Fever?
Between the memoir-writing and new product development (more to come on that soon), not to mention generating an income, my travel bug lust has been left in the drawer. Antsy and neglected, she’s rearing her noisy head and begging for some out-of-town adventure. Preferably to destinations exotic and requiring language skills other than English. But alas,…
Artist’s Date with a Peach
I’m celebrating. So I took a coffee break at one of my favorite local farm stands (amazing that the mall is less than 1/2-mile away, through the trees and over a train track). 177 pages of manuscript shipped off to my mentor today. Alle-frickin-lujah. Represents one year of writing and editing. The project still has…
Road Trip: Herby Lunch in Mason NH
Summer is the perfect time of year to meander along back-country roads in search of new culinary pleasures. And Pickity Place does not disappoint. The chef changes out the menu just once a month. But you can have your choice between two entrees — one vegetarian and the other not. Every element of the 5-course gourmet…
Artist Date: Audio Style
My Uncle Milton (on the right) and his four-hand piano partner, John, tell us about the Mozart sonata they have been practicing in preparation for a Labor Day concert for their wives. Today I was fortunate enough to sit in on a dress rehearsal. What a treat! The stars warm up and settle their nerves…