The dark indentations in the ceiling tiles over my hospital bed were too regular, too predictable. They weren’t fun to look at like clouds drifting from one horizon to another. I continued staring at them anyway, trying to imagine the marks into faces, puppies or geometric shapes. Out in the hall I heard footsteps. Was someone coming into my room? I lifted my head and looked at the door. Continue reading
A Damaged Dress
One peek out of the dining room window told me what I wanted to know. The mailman had already come by. I saw fresh tire marks on the road along side the mailbox. Also, the red metal flag on the box was pushed down. That meant he had picked up my outgoing mail. I squinted and leaned closer to the window. Something appeared to be swinging back and forth under the mailbox. Perplexed, I wondered, “What IS that?” Continue reading
Indian Summer
I hastily ran a comb through my hair, picked up my purse and headed for the back door. Tammie was applying her make-up and didn’t have her shoes on. I chided, “Aren’t you ready to go YET?” We had several things planned for the day, so it was important to get an early start. Continue reading
Sharing Sunshine
From the kitchen window I watched dirty gray clouds chasing each other across the sky. The muggy day looked dreary, and I didn’t feel like doing anything. Shadows lurking in the dark corners of my kitchen were dispelled when I flipped on the florescent lights. Suddenly my house felt cozy. The day would be a wonderful one to spend making bread, and puttering around the house. Continue reading
A Taste of Summer
A cool summer evening breeze sighed through the pine trees behind me. I stopped weeding for a moment to sniff the air. It smelled green; from mown grass that dried in the sun, of the freshly pulled weeds at my side, of nearby moist field grasses growing on top of last year’s mulch. Now in shade, the garden soil beneath me felt smooth and silky, still warm from the day’s heat.
Rainless in Seattle
Raindrops beat a restless tattoo on the leaves of a flowering crabapple tree outside my bedroom window. Not wanting to get up yet, I kept my eyes pinched tightly shut. As the rain increased, I became aware of its insistent, rhythmic drumming on the rooftop. Continue reading
Garden Fantasies
Nearly exhausted, I gave one last mighty pull. A loud mechanical growl assaulted my eardrums. Fumes from the freshly started engine spiraled skyward like smoke up a chimney. The stench burned my nose, making tears well up in my eyes. Smiling with satisfaction, I pushed a lever forward, and the tiller’s sharp metal blades eagerly leapt ahead.
Middle-aged Mutant Mother
A shaft of bright orange morning sun spilled from a patient room out into the hallway. I glanced at the assignment sheet in my hand and yawned. How much sleep had I gotten last night? five hours! A deep weariness that I felt to the very marrow of my bones weighed me down. In the hall, two phlebotomists rushed past the nursing station toward the elevator with fresh blood samples to be tested.
My Little Pet
A warm breeze slipped in through the open window and made a circuit of the living room. It felt nice. My mother, brother, and I paused in our conversation. Leaning back in her recliner Mom said, “Niki and Anne visited us yesterday afternoon.”
Hootenanny Hero
The window over my kitchen sink opened to a beautiful, crisp, sparkling autumn day. I stared out it in a pleasant, day-dreamy state of mind. The day had been a busy one, spent both indoors and out. Reaching down into the sink, I picked up a big brown potato and began to peal it.
Life Lines 