Has the World Gone Stark Raving Mad?

No, just the people who inhabit it. They are a little off kilter. Well, some of them.

My blog posts have taken a backseat recently while I focus full attention on my father’s WWII memoirs. I am really enjoying organizing what he has written into a manuscript, editing (minimal) and rereading his stories, and deciding which photographs are appropriate to include. I am writing chapters to insert as back stories for additional information and clarification to what he wrote.

So, what do my dad’s memoirs have to do with the crazy world today? Actually, quite a lot! Continue reading →

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch

Whispering Oaks Ridge Upper Meadow

Can it really be May Day 2021? So soon? The date on my calendar confirms indeed it is, but the rumbling thunder overhead, and the raindrops pitter-pattering on the windows, gives me cause to believe April is lingering—hanging on—to rain on May’s parade.

What in the world happened to the past eight months since my last blog post? Where did those months go? Did I hibernate the time away? I chuckle internally as visions of myself curled into a tight ball comes to mind. Anthea, snuggled in a warm, cozy nest like a hedgehog. No, that’s so not me! Did I tune out those months to escape the craziness of a world gone mad? Well, the idea has been appealing at times, but no, that’s not exactly what transpired. Do you think I ran for the hills as I’ve sometimes expressed?

Actually, that is exactly what happened. Chuck and I ran to the hills—the Texas Hill Country. There, after much searching and a whole lot of patience, we found a beautiful 5-acre ranch halfway between Wimberley and Blanco, studded with mature oak trees. The modest 2-bedroom house is perched on a ridge, overlooking a sweeping meadow with views to the hills beyond. We found our perfect bolt hole, our run-for-the-hills escape, our little slice of heaven in the country, engulfed in nature.

Whispering Oaks Ridge. Continue reading →

Beware the Hate

Our beautiful world is a crazy place right now! Have you noticed?

There’s so much going on all around the globe these days, it’s nigh impossible to keep up with it all. With the pandemic still a threat and world economies struggling from extended shutdowns, did we really need the additional natural disasters of hurricanes, floods and rampant fires?

Then there’s the human factor. The social injustice protesting, the looting, the widespread violence in major cities, and the most divisive and derisive general election in the history of the United States is ramping up to a crescendo. 

The Life and Times of now are challenging, do you agree? Continue reading →

Salt and Light

How many times have you heard someone describe another person as being like salt?  

Growing up, I heard that expression many times from my grandmother about someone she considered to be an upstanding, down-to-earth person of integrity who was honest and reliable. She would say something like, “He’s a good sort—the very salt of the earth!” Of course, I later realized that the saying originated in the bible, quoted from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. 

In my bible, a present from my grandfather, he inscribed, “let your light shine forth.” I expect you hear similar words spoken today that encourage you to shine your light.

“You are the salt of the earth.” Matthew 5:13
“You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14

I have had plenty of time during the three or four months of Covid-19 lockdowns to digest the tragic loss of life in the pandemic, and to observe the troubling acts of violence, looting, and blatant disregard for law and order. I have seen anarchists claim autonomous zones in cities, while authorities stand back and do nothing. Things are chaotic. Those who read my blog regularly, or who have read my book My Soul Sings for You, understand what I mean when I refer to the life and times of now—the beautiful, crazy, but often worrying, time of life in which we find ourselves today. We are in it—up to our necks! I have had cause to evaluate what is taking place in the world. Continue reading →

He’s Just My Dad

A vivid memory captured my thoughts today and along came a flood of emotion.

I recalled a scene from the past. I was standing in the reception line in the church hall, following my dad’s celebration of life—an incredible ninety-seven years! His friends, one after another in quick succession, each expressed their heartfelt condolences for my loss as they shared encounters with my dad that had endeared him to them. I was grateful for each interaction, and the unanimous outpouring of admiration for the man they all knew as a friend, neighbor, mentor, client, customer, or Fleet Air Arm veteran. Some only knew him in passing, as the “stooped old gent” from Bridge Street.

The man I call Dad.

My father was a familiar and highly respected figure in the community, and those who knew him treasured his friendship. As a WWII veteran, he was considered a national treasure, someone to be revered, and it was evident in the way others addressed him and treated him that he was. There were many genuine reasons for people to love and admire my dad. He was an engaging conversationalist with a brilliant mind—a compelling storyteller with a vast repertoire of interesting topics and real-life personal experiences. One never needed to worry about pauses in conversation when Dad was in the room. Whether the listener was a stranger or adoring grandchild, my father captured their full attention. They hung on his every word and were always left wanting to hear more—they were enthralled by his narratives. Continue reading →

Insight Over Incite!

What are you thinking?  What are you feeling?

These two questions belong together because we can engage both the heart and the mind as we seek insight into the life and times of now—the beautiful, resilient, but often confusing, turbulent, and broken world in which we currently live.

Today, I am breaking silence. Why now, you ask? The answer is simple. I am ready to share some thoughts on recent events. I’ve held back as I am not one to rush to judgment or react impulsively in the heat of the moment. With that said, do I sometimes post a hasty comment on social media? Of course! I can get sucked in, but generally, the contemplative side of me refrains from doing so.

I much prefer to dive deep into thought—to process what I am seeing and hearing. Knee-jerk reactions and hastily spoken words often arise from strong, visceral emotions rather than thoughtful consideration and insightful responses, so I usually opt for the latter. Sometimes that means I must wait for my mind (thoughtfulness) to catch up with my heart (emotions). On other occasions I hit the pause button to seek God’s counsel. I patiently await wisdom and discernment from Him. In His timing. Continue reading →

Catch the Torch! Lift it High in Honor of the Fallen

I love red poppies! They are scattered strategically around my house in various arrangements. In my office and entry way, etched into a glass plate and painted on a porcelain jug. A beautiful watercolor featuring the paper-thin red poppies adorns the wall in my dining room. These blood-red beauties are my all-time favorite flowers. Like life itself, they are fragile. Don’t even consider picking one—the bloom will bow its precious head and die within minutes of being plucked. Continue reading →

The Birds Are Still Singing

Our feathered friends are still singing!

Today, their melodious songs are unmistakably loud—and persistently cheerful, just like any other day. Two of our resident squirrels pause for a moment to tease the nesting mockingbirds but quickly return to stealing nuts and seeds from the swinging feeders. We strategically placed the feeders out of reach of the squirrels, but the furry rascals manage to find a way in! Annoying the birds has become the playful critters’ daily ritual in and around the magnolia and crepe myrtle trees. As I glance up at the majestic magnolia, I note dozens of bulging buds, announcing their readiness to burst into flower. Of course! It’s almost May—the month the magnolias bloom every year. Continue reading →

What Will Your Take Away Be?

How are you using this stay-at-home time to think about your future?

Will you make changes going forward? What will they be?

I’ve been knocked to my knees or had the stuffing knocked out of me many times, humbling me and causing me to rethink my priorities, my lifestyle and where I was headed. I’ve had to change direction. These are valuable tipping points. It’s happening again! And this will not be the last time, for undoubtedly there will be more times. It is ever so in this life. Are you feeling it too? Continue reading →

Fearless Friday

Are you superstitious? Personally I’m not, but some people are and they tremble at the very thought of anything that relates to the number thirteen—hotel room numbers, floors in a building, street addresses, dates on the calendar, and even the military time of 1300 hours! I’m sure you can conjure up your very own connotation of the number thirteen.

Today is Friday Thirteenth, and as if that isn’t enough to unsettle those of you who are overly superstitious, there’s a new bully on the block terrorizing mankind. Covid-19 is on the move, swirling its evil tentacles around the globe, wreaking havoc with human health, creating turmoil wherever it goes, striking fear into the hearts and minds of millions the world over, and infecting thousands with its virulent virus. It’s all part and parcel of The Life and Times of Now!  Continue reading →