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I am no gardener. I’ve never claimed to be one, but I thought I could follow directions and see results. Obviously, my engagement in green things attempting to grow is wasted energy. After our big freeze this past winter, we lost quite a few of our plants. We waited for the weather to warm before embarking on another planting project. I did my research this time. I checked out what grows in…

John, in his ongoing efforts to be the best Papa in the world, decided to buy a slushie machine. You know the kind, like 7-11’s slurpee machine, where you get to choose the color of your brain freeze. Part of this has to do with the incredible heat wave we’ve been experiencing here in Florida. Anything to help the kids stay cool and hopefully tolerate being outdoors for a little bit. It took a…

I was really disappointed when the US men’s soccer team lost to Belgium. I’d believed too much in the commercial, where one man was fantasizing about the US winning the World Cup, and another man asked him, “Don’t you believe in miracles?” It was the captain of the winning hockey team from the 1980 Olympics, the miracle team, who weren’t ever expected to beat the Soviets. But they did. I’d…

Photo courtesy of Zuzanka Glaczynska on Unsplash I love birthday parties. Not my own, mind you. But anyone else’s. Celebrating America’s 250th birthday is a privilege and pleasure. We live in a country that has intended to offer freedoms unknown to many in the world. We’re not always great at it, but it’s a goal to pursue. As a country, we’re actually fairly young pups. Many countries have…

We have the best tree in our backyard that holds a swing, which has provided hours of joy to the littles in our family. It’s even been a resting place for the older kids when they wanted space away from the littles. A quiet area overlooking our pond that is calming. A place to play; a spot to think. Rarely do any of the littles go on by themselves. It’s rather like women who feel the need to go…

I understand the choice to color one’s hair. I found my first gray hairs when I was quite young, and the decision to not leave them that way came when a young boy, a friend of my son, looked at me and said, “Mrs. Rogers, you’re so old!” Bring on the color. People do it for other reasons. Teagan, at nineteen, bleached his brown hair to make a statement. Because he could. I have a friend at work…

In almost any sport, I’ve always been a fan of the underdogs. The ones not expected to do well. During the March Madness college basketball playoffs, those teams that make it, which are not expected to win, are called “Cinderella teams”. In 1985, Villanova, seeded at eight, beat the number one-ranked Georgetown Hoyas in a 66-64 title game. No one expected it. This World Cup competition has been…

We went all out. Yes, we’re fans of the American men’s soccer team. Shamelessly. We went as far as putting sparkly tattoos on our faces with stars, flags, and USA emblazoned across our faces. We rooted wildly for the US to beat Australia, with almost twenty people in our family room, screaming with joy when we scored, moaning in unison when one of our own players was hurt. We were, without a…

He’s been known to do whatever is necessary to bring a smile to the face of a child–especially if they’re his grandkids. From putting his socks on their hands as weird puppets to buying donuts on special occasions, like “Over-the-Top Tuesday”, which is just any ordinary Tuesday. He tells stories of moo-cow armies and Super Pudgey, a special dog with superpowers. Papa has a style all his…

There’s something magical about younger kids having the opportunity–and choosing–to be around respectable young adults with solid character. It’s even more amazing when respectable young adults choose to be around younger kids, not mocking or messing with them, but encouraging them. Teagan, Joseph, and David have known each other for years, growing up together in various venues, playing for…

Some dear friends from Colorado recently visited, and to help them experience the uniqueness of Florida, we took them to the Wetlands to see a little bit of the prehistoric. Penny wasn’t delighted; the alligators made her uncomfortable. Their reputation isn’t one of cuddly warmth and closeness. We were in their territory, after all. Walking around this flash from the very far past, it was easy…

We’ve discovered a phenomenon in central Florida that I’m sure is a reality in many other areas of the country. Maybe the world. It’s called dumpster diving. People throw away valuable items that could be reused or repurposed for greater enjoyment. Many may ask, “Why not sell things at a garage sale?” To which I would reply, “That’s too much work for just these few things.” So people place…

He’d been told they were going out to eat. So he changed into his pajamas. Beck, at seven, has a logic all his own, which often makes more sense than that of many adults. It was getting later in the day, a day filled with all types of activities and fun, and he thoughtfully considered that, as late as it was, they wouldn’t get back from dinner until past his bedtime. He was already tired, so…

They wouldn’t be effective goalkeepers, but they knew to stay in their place and not wander outside the box. The goal box. We have soccer goals set up in our backyard, and much to my surprise, two young fauns wandered into our yard, standing in the goal, and eating whatever the kids had left behind when they played. I looked around for their mom, and I didn’t see her right away. She was…

Spring. With all its accompanying philosophies. “April showers bring May flowers.” Or E.E. Cummings, in his 1923 poem, “In Just”: “In Just–spring, when the world is mud luscious and puddle wonderful.” It all reflects a passion for the growth of new life in spring, and the joy of jumping in puddles as we all did as kids. As someone who still feels young at heart, the occasional stomping in…

photo courtesy of Aaron Burden on Unsplash In honor of those who never came home, we set aside Memorial Day as a time of national mourning for those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Men and women who gave up their lives in support of our country are respected for the choices they made selflessly. In our current world culture, a valid question to be considered is “Why bother?” Divisiveness is…

When we were in college, John and I would attend concerts fairly frequently. Some are really great in person; others sound better on an album. But one of the items on my bucket list was to see the band Chicago in concert. It helps that these are hometown boys who worked hard at making a go of their sound. Back in the day of guitars and drums only, they added brass to their music, which took it…