I was taking a short day hike around the campground in Collier Memorial Park in Oregon when I met another camper/traveler and our conversation turned
Category: blog
“Cozy Confessions.”
My thirty plus years of travel destinations are filled with photos and encountering people who are the inspirations for some of my creative writings ideas.
“Sparkling at any age.”
The word “age,” is a noun, defining the length of existence from the beginning to any given time of life. Existence is the sparkle of
“Atmospheric; A Short story”
Three months ago Jill and I decided to take a break with a tropical island weekend getaway. On our last evening, I dressed adorned in
“Droolling mushroom hunters.”
Hiking in the great northwest of the US brings you into contact with many types of people. My first encounter with mushroom hunters began with
“Temporary photos.”
Landscape photography changes minute to minute, hour, by hour and daily at the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico. In these photographs, I capture a temporary
“Centenarian love, passion, marriage, and dancing.”
The annual sweetheart’s dance has become a coveted gala event for the 190 residents at the “Living Years Village.” And again for the third year
“Faintly simmering and being beckoned.”
I stood in the doorway of the kitchen watching my mother cooking and preparing the Thanksgiving dinner as I drooled with excitement wanting to sneak
“Halloween Neighborhood-Lessons.”
There was a time in the 60’s, and 70’s when the mystery of keeping your home secure during the Halloween season was something you passed
“Ghoulish.”
I have never really liked Halloween since the horrible calamity of 1975, for which my father tells the story with the smiling gleefulness of a
“Autumn Fluffy.”
The end of green summer leaves leads to the transformation to various bright colors. During an October hike with crisp, breezes blowing red, yellow, purple,
“Mirrored Gratitude.”
With their annual Halloween party two days away, Erica stood in the mirror admiring her Cleopatra costume. She adjusted the black wig with a gold
“Identifying Trademarks.”
The identifying trademarks were visible when the border officer lifted the tarp to reveal the cylindrical barrel. This story began after my best friend Charles
“Cacophony: A band parents story.”g
My next door neighbors, Clifford and Joyce Ingram’s raised 6-children, who were born two and three years apart. When their eldest child Cynthia began playing
“Enlighten.”
Enlightening moments in time brings life into focus. (M. J. Leake) After thirty-nine years of marriage, three adult children, one hysterectomy, and a husband I
“Expected Release.”
After 9-months, of preparation, which included doctors visits, painting a nursery room, assembling baby furniture, storing diapers, infant clothing, and installing and securing the infant
“Express.”
Do you love to dance, sing, write, sculpt, paint, or debate? What’s your favorite way to express yourself, creatively? I use words creatively in sentences,
“Brave, heroic, courageous, and daring.”
The above words are used to describe acts done by a person that if given a moment of thought many people would not perform for
“Risk?”
What would your daily life be without risk? Most people try to avoid risk and some at all cost while many people take a calculated
“Loyalty.”
Loyalty is determined and measured by who you interact with over time. Loyalty and friendships are determined by time. Loyalty can be a long-term commitment
“Ascending.”
Life is like ascending a mountain one foot after another to accomplish what is desired. Standing atop of an accomplishment is a personal goal and time
“Succumb.”
Succumbing to life’s temptations keeps you from being your best. Succumbing to the bitterness of life closes your mind to reconciliation. Succumbing to the
“Cloaked in darkness.”
A 5-year-old girl in a playground stops to look at the flight of a butterfly. She runs around mimicking its movements to understand the butterfly’s
“Fraud”
The fraud you do. The fraud to deceive. The fraud to trick and cheat. The fraud for your personal gain. The fraud committed in darkness
“Inflated elastic beauty.”
The elastic balloons cover the grounds as far as the eye can see. Ground crews hold lines as the balloons are inflated reaching heights towering
“Fashionable Beauty.”
Hiking a forest or desert trails with only the sounds of your footsteps crunching the ground quiets your soul to experience a believable sense of
“Carousel of Life.”
The carousel of life cycles through many stages hopefully surrounded by family, friends, culture, and an environment shaping your life forever. Along the way you develop
“Dare-Devil Great Grandmother.”
Six months ago, I was with twenty-one of my family members to watch my youngest great-granddaughter tandem parachute from a plane 12000 feet above the
“Good Morning Foggy Haze.”
I awake with a foggy haze, covering my eyes, I stumble to my bathroom to begin my day. When I reach out for my toothbrush,
“Crisp proud parents.”
Julius and Doretha Jefferson drove seven hours from Pittsburgh PA to West Point NY, to attend parents day at the US Army’s Military Academy. After
