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…breathe deeply and often…

  • Stay the Course

    It only took a few seconds to find out that I was completely and utterly lost. That’s what careful planning and a world class GPS got me, lost. The drive through Texas was one road, one lane, one shot, no turns. As straight forward as you could get with or without tumbleweeds. You couldn’t get

    Read more

  • 4H Camp Blues

    “I was only there for one week thirty-five years ago,” Max told George. “I’m sure Alice doesn’t feel the same way I feel toward her.” Max had met Alice when they were camp counselors at 4-H camp when they were seniors in college. They were collecting and stacking logs for the opening night bonfire when

    Read more

  • Whisper

    “Boy, do I have a secret or what?” Margaret said to her reflection in the mirror. She gazed deeply into her own eyes.  Boom. The door on the bathroom echoed when the blond walked in whispering to her red headed friend. It sounded like they had secrets too. Margaret had no idea what they were

    Read more

  • My Heart

    I offer my heart I’ll put my ass in a sling For people I love.

    Read more

  • No Regrets

    “I don’t want to hear you say ‘I regret’ getting that puppy in two weeks when school starts,” said Buddy to his mom. She’d be the one taking care of it, feeding, watering, cleaning up its shit. She was very particular about her stuff and didn’t want a damned dog eating her furniture. Some of

    Read more

  • Party for One

    Image generated with AI. Betwixt the tantalizing mushrooms and truffles, I teleported through the chocolates. That was the only way to get through them unscathed. I would eat my weight in  chocolate without a muzzle. Against chocolate, especially the 83% cacao, I had no defense. It tantalized me from the other room, I could hear

    Read more

  • Garden Luncheon

    Margaret took off her gardening gloves and surveyed her garden. The flowers were perfect. Never had her blooms been bigger or brighter than they were this summer. She took out her phone to take a picture. The blues, oranges, and reds were just phenomenal. She picked a blue one and took it into the house

    Read more

  • Barefoot Drama

    Image generated with AI. May first is Legal Barefoot Day. The day that my sister and brother and I were allowed to go outside without shoes and not get in trouble for it. Grass stains and bee stings were the worst that could happen to us. Mom would scrub our feet raw every night in

    Read more

  • Artist unknown. “Everything on this menu must have at least ten thousand calories,” Miranda said as she picked up her Chardonnay. Janet thought by the looks of her, she could use ten thousand calories. She could get a salad or a steak anywhere. But they were in an exquisite Indian restaurant that served the best

    Read more

  • Climbing the Rope

    Image generated with AI. Emmy fumed. She’d been struggling to climb that rope for three weeks and still hadn’t made it two feet off the ground. Her face was red, her hands burned, her thighs chafed. She headed to the dreaded locker room to change, so she could hear more jeers from the cheer leaders

    Read more

  • Luxuries of Life

    Time, health, a calm mind, slow mornings, the ability to travel, a home I love, and close relationships, is there more to life that I could need?  How much time is granted to me? How much time do I need? Is it enough? I think so. I believe it will be enough to show the Read more

  • My Greatest Gift

    Are you sure you’re right?You can’t be having twinsGreatest Christmas gift Read more

  • Boon to the living

    Photo by Douglas John Imbrogno “I’ve survived one hundred percent of the days that were just God-awful. I am happy to be alive on good days. I do wonder about what’s next though. Next. What’s coming? I’ve got a lot coming on my plate. I have many choices to make, much to be careful of, Read more

  • Dirty Snow

    “Mom, where are the boots you got me for Christmas?” asked Charlie. He tore the living room upside down looking for them. Couch cushions went flying, followed by blankets, and newspapers, he made an unholy mess.  “Stop it! Stop throwing stuff around and straighten this room up right now,” Alice was livid. “You know better Read more

  • Sewing Lesson

    Santa brought me a baby doll for Christmas one year that had white curly hair like an old lady. She had a rubber head and blue eyes that would open and close when she sat up and lay down. Her arms and legs were rubber too, attached to a stuffed body. She was about half Read more

  • Snow Wonderland

    Hazel stepped out on the stoop and stepped right back in the house. Her eyes were huge. “Is this what I think it is?” she screamed. It was still dark outside, but the white of seven inches of snow lay bright and unmistakable over everything outside. She could hear the snowflakes pile higher and deeper, Read more

  • Stay the Course

    It only took a few seconds to find out that I was completely and utterly lost. That’s what careful planning and a world class GPS got me, lost. The drive through Texas was one road, one lane, one shot, no turns. As straight forward as you could get with or without tumbleweeds. You couldn’t get

    Read more

  • 4H Camp Blues

    “I was only there for one week thirty-five years ago,” Max told George. “I’m sure Alice doesn’t feel the same way I feel toward her.” Max had met Alice when they were camp counselors at 4-H camp when they were seniors in college. They were collecting and stacking logs for the opening night bonfire when

    Read more

  • Whisper

    “Boy, do I have a secret or what?” Margaret said to her reflection in the mirror. She gazed deeply into her own eyes.  Boom. The door on the bathroom echoed when the blond walked in whispering to her red headed friend. It sounded like they had secrets too. Margaret had no idea what they were

    Read more

  • My Heart

    I offer my heart I’ll put my ass in a sling For people I love.

    Read more

  • No Regrets

    “I don’t want to hear you say ‘I regret’ getting that puppy in two weeks when school starts,” said Buddy to his mom. She’d be the one taking care of it, feeding, watering, cleaning up its shit. She was very particular about her stuff and didn’t want a damned dog eating her furniture. Some of

    Read more

  • Party for One

    Image generated with AI. Betwixt the tantalizing mushrooms and truffles, I teleported through the chocolates. That was the only way to get through them unscathed. I would eat my weight in  chocolate without a muzzle. Against chocolate, especially the 83% cacao, I had no defense. It tantalized me from the other room, I could hear

    Read more

  • Garden Luncheon

    Margaret took off her gardening gloves and surveyed her garden. The flowers were perfect. Never had her blooms been bigger or brighter than they were this summer. She took out her phone to take a picture. The blues, oranges, and reds were just phenomenal. She picked a blue one and took it into the house

    Read more

  • Barefoot Drama

    Image generated with AI. May first is Legal Barefoot Day. The day that my sister and brother and I were allowed to go outside without shoes and not get in trouble for it. Grass stains and bee stings were the worst that could happen to us. Mom would scrub our feet raw every night in

    Read more

  • Artist unknown. “Everything on this menu must have at least ten thousand calories,” Miranda said as she picked up her Chardonnay. Janet thought by the looks of her, she could use ten thousand calories. She could get a salad or a steak anywhere. But they were in an exquisite Indian restaurant that served the best

    Read more

  • Climbing the Rope

    Image generated with AI. Emmy fumed. She’d been struggling to climb that rope for three weeks and still hadn’t made it two feet off the ground. Her face was red, her hands burned, her thighs chafed. She headed to the dreaded locker room to change, so she could hear more jeers from the cheer leaders

    Read more


  • Holding Hands

    Alan came to my house to pick me up and we went somewhere. The first time I held Alan’s hand I was scared, bubbly, and giddy all at once. He held my hand to the car. That’s all I remember about the date – he reached out his hand for mine and I remember reaching…

  • Daphne Drumke 

    Daphne Drumke waited for her suitcase to pop out of the baggage terminal at Terminal three in Heathrow. There were everything but chickens in terminal three. A goat herd just passed. Daphne watched an armed guard roll his eyes at a well dressed woman in stilettos  leading a St. Bernard and twin boys, all on…

  • The High Priestess

    Lorraine was known for her arbitrary obsessions. One week it was crystals, spirits, and witchcraft, the next it was chocolate fudge. Whatever her random fixation, she did it with passion and all consuming gumption to the woe of her husband Cyril. He had learned over the years to stay quiet and sweep up the shards…

  • Windjammer

    The Windjammer hit the wave head on and leaped into the blue sky like a whale breaching the surface of the sea. Another wave pushed its bow down into the drink. Without his steering prowess, the sailboat surely would have capsized. The six year old opened his eyes, paused his imagination’s scenario, and scratched his…

  • Passion

    The kalamata olives were supposed to be pitted, but the one Sam just bit on broke the tip off his left canine, and the jolt brought tears to his eyes. He looked at his reflection in his phone for confirmation of damage. His tooth was rough and jagged. His matching short vampire teeth were now…