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Falling in Love with Art

My older daughter sent us a digital photo frame to which family members can upload photos so that they will appear like magic on the scrolling screen in our living room. I set it up, added the app, and invited all the kids to upload their pictures, expecting the fun surprises of noticing the new ones each week or so.

“Wait,” one son interjected. “Let me make sure I understand. So we can add photos that will just show up in your living room when anyone may be visiting?”

I warned him not to get any bright ideas and to keep it clean. Imagine my amused horror when a daughter zoomed in on a family photo where she’d been standing with her thumbs in her belt loops but actually shooting a bird. And someone added a picture of some stranger in a jon boat holding his arms out to show off a fish, but the fish is photoshopped into the photo several inches from his hands. They also add their favorites through the years, right back to all the times that made us laugh so hard our stomachs hurt. And some of family members no longer with us that are especially touching now. It’s my favorite art in the house ~ photography entertainment where my family members are in the frames.

there we are, kissing in front of Cadillac Ranch

Johnson Rt 66 Trip June 2023

spray painted on a vertical hood

there we are, coffee and breakfast in Tulsa and

standing in front of the Blue Whale of Catoosa

brothers on a bench in El Reno

and our feet on a painted street sign

and look! there’s Boo Radley in the kayak

wearing his Nemo life vest

ready for adventure, whatever that means

oooh, and there we all are in

Tennessee in the VRBO on the mountain

playing dominoes and talking trash

and all the kids in the pool

rocking the place with waves

the littlest smiling, showing off two

recently cut bottom teeth

the others lined up on the front porch

steps eating watermelon

and us eating seafood listening to

Suno songs about us eating seafood

an engagement, a wedding, a cup

of coffee in Starbucks

and watching the Blue Angels

from the heat of a parking lot

and the oldest grandson

eating a Biblical meal

Poppy in the oldest pub in Boston

eating oysters

and us in the sun in Kennebunkport

each memory scrolls by

smiles in these moments

of living and holding presence

belonging for our time

as we live it

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Falling In Love with the Music

Our Christmas gift to each other last year will serve as our Valentine’s Day gift also, since we will be traveling for a long-awaited excursion next week. As long-time lovers of all things Eagles, we decided in October on a dream whim while playing dominoes during a family vacation that we should definitely go see them in concert at the Sphere. One of our daughters lives near the area and offered to pick us up from the airport and show us the lay of the land.

It didn’t take arm-twisting. We hopped off the Mexican Train long enough to buy two tickets, make a reservation at a nearby resort, and book airfare, then looked in each other’s eyes and said, “Merry Christmas.” One of our sons decided to join in the fun also, minus the concert tickets. That’s how we roll on the festivity meter. No gifts under the tree, but a memory-maker instead that will be appreciated long after whatever sweaters we would have opened.

My Favorite Eagles Song is Hidden in these Lines

my soul mate and I

went for an experience

instead of gifts

last Christmas

so next week we will

fly west

to hear The Eagles

at The Sphere

but I confess:

I cheated and

took it to the limit

with two

concert shirts

because, you know…..

stocking stuffers

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Falling in Love with Silent Book Club

I have another new book club, and I hear that this kind is sweeping the country. It’s all the rage right now. I’d heard of Silent Book Clubs, and the idea was intriguing. My first thought: I can read silently at home in my pajamas in my favorite chair; why do I need a silent book club? Then I was invited to one, and I went as a guest. I was delighted to be surrounded by readers who were completely immersed in the joy of actual reading – – something we don’t see at most other book clubs, since we read ahead. It feels reassuring to glance around and see others taking in print, not distracted by the dryer buzzer or the dogs or the kids or anyone asking for anything.

My friend Janette is one of the most avid readers I know, so it’s no surprise she has begun hosting the Silent Book Club Flint River chapter here in middle Georgia. You can check out and join the page to follow all of our book adventures and see what folks are reading by clicking here. It’s not the only book club the two of us attend together, but rather than being a club with a common title and established meeting location for discussions each month, the meetings are created pop-up style in various locations, and each reader brings whatever book they’re reading at the time. We know there’s going to be a meeting when we follow the Facebook page and see the time and location. We show up with our book and read for an hour in a room full of old friends and new friends. Some read from Kindles, some listen to audiobooks, some read hard copies, and some, like me, even bring noise-cancelling earbuds or headphones to play nature sounds as they read.

Reading downstairs in 1828 Coffee Company in Zebulon, Georgia

If you don’t have a Silent Reading Club chapter near you, consider starting one. Until then, join us – no matter where you are in the world. Find out when and where we are reading, then do the same from your favorite comfy chair….or bench….or beach towel. Send a picture of you and your book and say hello on the Facebook page. Let us know that you read for the hour. We can’t wait for you to be a part of all the fun and to create new opportunities for reading wherever you are!

Silent Book Club reads

in adventurous places

world page-travelers

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Falling in Love with the Unexpected

Georgia Heard’s Substack offers writing calendars that work for both children and adults. Here is her February Valentine Mini Writing Calendar, inspiring us to fall in love with the everyday. Day 7 asks us to fall in love with love with something unexpected and share about what surprised our hearts.

What Love Looks Like

I’m standing at the

bathroom sink

doing my makeup

when he walks

up behind me

holding out

a steaming mug

setting it down

on the counter

between the

mascara and lipstick

steady like a

gymnast on a

balance beam

I made your coffee

he whispers

leaning down

planting a kiss

on my neck

catching my eye

in the mirror

and in that moment

I swear I see

what a love

spark looks like

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Small Rituals

Georgia Heard’s Substack offers writing calendars that work for both children and adults. Here is her February Valentine Mini Writing Calendar, inspiring us to fall in love with the everyday. Day 6 asks us to fall in love with love with a small ritual that brings us comfort or joy such as morning coffee, walking the dog, or lighting a candle.

Do Tell

for me, it’s when

we come home

from anywhere

even if we’ve

only been gone

three minutes

to check the mail

here they come

all three boys

ears flapping

tails up

pawing our legs

Come, play!

they say

but it’s when

they turn

take off

and hit full

speed down

the hall

racing for

all they’re

worth to

wait for us

in our

chairs like

old friends

ready for

coffee and

conversation

on the couch

that really surges

my joy meter

tell us, what is

did you do with

your wild and

precious day?

they ask,

licking our faces

and we tell them

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To Love a Word

Check out Georgia Heard’s Substack for monthly writing calendars that work for both children and adults. Her February Valentine Mini Writing Calendar, inspires us to fall in love with the everyday. Day 5 asks us to fall in love with love with a word, one that feels good to say, then to write it down and let it lead.

Since my One Little Word of 2026 is Onward, I’m choosing it today.

Onward

onward: mountains call ~

fresh, clean air…..majestic views

…..babbling creeks….ONWARD!

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Falling in Love with the Living

My friend Margaret Simon shared Georgia Heard’s Substack with me, and I love reading about her travels and writing experiences – and her book recommendations.

I love that she offers writing calendars that work for both children and adults. Here is her February Valentine Mini Writing Calendar, inspiring us to fall in love with the everyday. Join me with a journal and a pen – and fall in love with the living!

Day 4 asks us to fall in love with love with something living: a tree, a spider, a dog, a person, and then to describe it with care. I’ve been house hunting in the place where I plan to retire, and watching carefully for signs of just the right vibe. My brother reminds me: You’ll know it when you find it. I chose a sign along the way ~ a friendly daffodil ~ and wrote a shape poem, also known as a concrete poem.

Welcome Wagon

the first daffodil of springtime

waves from the base of

a wooden fencepost

along a countryside road

like a welcome wagon friend

in Blue Ridge, Georgia

as the snow

melts

and the

sun rises

a beacon

of light

yellow and

bright

charms my

soul

the universe

speaks

I listen

(it’s still

winter)

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Loving Light

My friend Margaret Simon shared Georgia Heard’s Substack with me, and I love reading about her travels and writing experiences – and her book recommendations. You can see her posts here.

I love that Georgia offers writing calendars that work for both children and adults. Here is her February Valentine Mini Writing Calendar, inspiring us to fall in love with the everyday. I’ll be starting this today and walking with Georgia through the week. Join me with a journal and a pen!

Day 3 asks us to notice light and how it lands, how it moves, and then to write about one moment of light that stayed with us.

Weekend Waffles

the hexagon window

in my reading room

throws a morning sunbeam

onto the wall

opposite my bed

its tiny square panes

within look like

buttery waffles

syrupy and warm

drizzled in sunshine

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Falling In Love with Sounds

My friend Margaret Simon shared Georgia Heard’s Substack with me, and I love reading about her travels and writing experiences – and her book recommendations. A couple of months ago, she was reading The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life, recommended it on her post, and I picked it up and loved every page of it. You can see her posts here. I think what I love most about her book recommendations is that they are journey-related and not necessarily bestsellers that everyone would naturally pick up and read. I like books that take me down back roads, and she does a splendid job of this.

I love that she offers writing calendars that work for both children and adults. Here is her February Valentine Mini Writing Calendar, inspiring us to fall in love with the everyday. I’ll be starting this today and walking with Georgia through the week. Join me with a journal and a pen!

Day 2 asks us to fall in love with love with a sound: birdsong, traffic, a voice, silence…..and to share what touched our hearts.

My Husband

speaks my love language~

he empties the dishwasher

clink, clang, clatter, clack

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Falling in Love With The Ordinary

My friend Margaret Simon who blogs at Reflections on the Teche shared Georgia Heard’s Substack with me, and I love reading about Georgia’s travels and writing experiences – and her book recommendations. A couple of months ago, she shared that she was reading The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life, and recommended it on her post. I picked it up and loved every page of it. I think what I enjoy most about her book recommendations is that they are journey-related and not necessarily bestsellers that everyone would naturally pick up and read. I like books that take me down back roads, and she does a splendid job of sharing sacred places, both inward and outward.

Georgia Heard offers writing calendars that work for both children and adults. Here is her February Valentine Mini Writing Calendar, inspiring us to fall in love with the everyday. I’ll be starting this today and walking with Georgia through the week. Join me with a journal and a pen!

Day 1 asks us to fall in love with love with something ordinary: the sky, a pencil, a crack in the sidewalk, and to write a few lines about what we noticed.

Sunday Brunch

chickadee chirped

from the wreath on the front door

I could see her

through the swirled glass

seeking shelter from the icy wind

diving in and out of the bucket of seed

I’d left on the porch

I scooped up two handfuls

scattered them on the sidewalk

she invited her friends

to Sunday brunch