Do you feel you must wait for inspiration to strike before you can write? It’s time to let that go. When you allow yourself to just write for the pleasure of it and not weigh yourself down with lofty expectations? Writing becomes a hell of a lot more fun. And the best way to start? […]

Let me know if this has ever happened to you. You have a writing idea simmering in your mind.  Perhaps you overheard something interesting at the grocery store. (Yes – all writers eavesdrop! I’m shameless.)  Or maybe you had an unexpected and thoughtful conversation with a stranger and you just can’t stop thinking about it. […]

Years ago, a friend of mine found this print of The Skating Minister in a thrift store. I was green with envy. I almost challenged her to a snowball fight for it. However, common sense prevailed and I secretly grumbled to myself. All is fair in love, war and thrifting. So why do I love […]

What you’re looking at is where I’d be living if I had a dollar for every person who said this phrase to me: “I don’t know what to write about.” Maybe you can relate. You have probably always had the desire to write and maybe you’ve dabbled in writing over the years. But more often […]

Oh life, you can be a little trickster at times. You plant this desire in me to write. It brings my soul such joy! But you also plant the idea that I have to do other things too. Life tasks like keeping my husband, dog, garden, and, relationships alive. Listen. I have the best intentions. […]

A few years ago, The New York Times ran a short story about a company that branded their dried potato dish: Funeral Potatoes. The name had caused a bit of a ruckus. People were offended by it. Shocked right down to their little tater tots. Because I guess we aren’t supposed to say the words […]

One of my long-dead boyfriends, Vincent Van Gogh, said this about my favorite time of the year: As long as autumn lasts, I shall not have hands, canvas and colors enough to paint the beautiful things I see. Oh, Vincent – you nailed it. There’s so much happening in the Fall/Autumn that I have to […]

We’ve been immersed in wickedly hot weather the past three weeks. Fry an egg on the pavement kind of heat. Some people love these long, steaming hot days. Not me. I enjoy the beauty of summer, but you can bring on Fall, thank you very much. I’m a woman with a big head of curly […]

It has been blistering hot this past month. (Yes – even in Canada!) A few weeks ago, my husband and I were going to be out of town, so I asked my garden-loving parents to water my garden. This wasn’t a small request. They had to drive 30-minutes each way. But they quickly said YES […]

During the short gardening season where I live in Canada, you’ll often find me outside. I enjoy gardening, although I’m not an expert by any stretch of the imagination. Why do I love it? Writing is like gardening. You have to be willing to pull what isn’t working. And you only get better by getting […]