Lagniappe
I loved many things about my years in New Orleans, not the least of which was the local custom of giving “lagniappe” which simply means something extra and unexpected. Just having a word to express the idea made it easier for me to appreciate lagniappe when it was offered to me. Several weeks ago I received writer lagniappe. When…
Read MoreWith a Little Help From My Friends
My pre-Inauguration trip to Florida was not all sand sculpture and walks on the beach. A lot of it involved eating. . . no, that’s not what I meant to say. There certainly was plenty of that, too, but grouper tacos were not the real reason I flew back into the scenes of my childhood. …
Read MoreThis We Can Do
When you live just outside Washington DC, and your candidate wins the presidency, you go to the Inauguration? Right? Oh, wait. Millions of other people are planning to go. The temperatures will be below freezing. There is no hope of getting transportation into the city that morning because the Metros will be mobbed and the roads closed,…
Read MoreSand, Sea and Renewal
So yes, I disappeared for longer than expected this month, leaving “Resolutions or Revolutions?” to hold my place here in case new readers happened to stumble on Southern Exposure while I was farther south than usual in Florida. And no, I wasn’t fomenting revolution, although I was working on my personal version, spending more time with my husband and with friends…
Read MoreResolutions or Revolutions?
I’ll confess, I’m not a huge fan of resolutions. The word itself lacks punch. “I resolve to. . .” just sounds lame to me, like something I might decide on my way to the kitchen and forget once I’m there. “I resolve to eat less, eat more vegetables, drink more water, only eat whole grains,…
Read MoreWarmest Wishes for a Peaceful, Happy Holiday Season
All I Want for Christmas. . .
Peace on earth. Okay, that’s a given. The end to world hunger. A deeper understanding and tolerance of other cultural and religious traditions. I won’t go on because the goodwill messages are everywhere. We all have our personal wish lists. I love the way people reach out to each other this time of year. It’s…
Read MoreChristmas. . . and beagles
Nemo came to live with us two summers ago. We had always had dogs, but after finally losing two old friends, we decided to take a break. As much as we missed Kiwi and Dingo, there was something nice about just locking the door and walking away when we wanted to visit children or travel. …
Read MoreContests and Websites, the joys and the sorrows
Okay. I’ll start with a confession. Contests are a source of endless frustration for many authors. I hear the complaints, and I understand. One of my own just ended. My readers and website visitors had the opportunity to win a Sister’s Choice quilt that I purchased from Quilt Pink, a collaborative effort by American Patchwork and Quilting magazine and…
Read MoreHappiness, Holidays, Hassles!
It’s the beginning of December, and right along with Bing Crosby’s rendition of White Christmas, the hassles have begun. Yesterday, I spent four full hours on the computer and telephone trying to make two simple airline reservations. First there were full flights and the necessity of booking my return with a layover of two…
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