A few weekends ago, a large pine tree in our backyard felled a massive branch.  It wiped out the fence between two neighboring properties.  It took three days of labor from Donald, my father, and one of the neighbors to chop →MORE...

“Should I wear this, Momma?  This shirt with the kissing fishes?” she asks me.  She turns back to her drawer.  “Or should I wear this shirt?  It is green and has stripes.  Can I wear this, Momma?” —- We’re at the →MORE...

    -  Okay, kiddo, are you ready?  Let’s roll!    -  Yeah, Momma!  TO THE PARK!    -  Wait, what?  No, we’re going to the train station, darling.  For a picnic, remember?    -  Oh, oh yes.  The train station →MORE...

    1.  When we celebrated Diwali, I took Charlotte to a nearby mandir.  It is the first time either of us has set foot inside a Hindu temple.  As soon as the staff member led us inside, Charlotte stopped and →MORE...

It’s the perfect sort of morning.  Quiet.  Light.  We eat breakfast.  We take a walk.  We water the squash, the pumpkins, the melons.  We open the chicken coop.  We feed the cats.  We release the hounds.  We water the strawberries, the →MORE...