“It was June, and the world smelled of roses.”

June. The month of my birth. The month of roses and honeysuckle, pearl and alexandrite and moonstone. The transition from spring into summer. It’s been busy, as you might imagine. Lots of things going on around the farm — there is no end of work to be done. Enjoying the new blooms on my roseContinue reading ““It was June, and the world smelled of roses.””

Here comes the sun

Despite the chilly start to the month, May is warming up nicely. And the garden is responding. I’m doing my veggie garden in containers this year since the raised beds are dismantled and we still need to clean up that entire area. But grow bags and 7-gallon pots are working quite well. I have YukonContinue reading “Here comes the sun”

A Quick Trip to Cleveland and Tudor England

My mom and I got back yesterday from a mini vacation. We drove up to Northeast Ohio to stay at my aunt and uncle’s house in Lake County, just east of Cleveland. Our main reason for going was to visit the Cleveland Museum of Art to see The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England.Continue reading “A Quick Trip to Cleveland and Tudor England”

Finding Balance

Things have really picked up with my travel advisor biz this past week. I made several bookings — all for the same trip — including hotel destinations and tours. I now qualify to level up to advanced status, though I have to take the training and pass the exam first. I’m considering it. Though I’mContinue reading “Finding Balance”

Happy anniversary, Words in Bloom

A year ago today, I registered my business name with the state of Ohio. Happy 1st anniversary, Words in Bloom! I was ill-prepared to start my own business on March 30, 2022. It was a long-term goal that I hadn’t given much practical thought to. But circumstances moved up the timeline before I had aContinue reading “Happy anniversary, Words in Bloom”

A Memory from the Emerald Isle

It’s St. Patrick’s Day, which stirred up a particular memory from Dublin, Ireland — a brief moment, an interaction with a complete stranger — that stuck with me all these years. In the summer of 1999, I was among a group of Ohio State English majors studying British and Irish literature at Bath Spa UniversityContinue reading “A Memory from the Emerald Isle”

The Game’s Not Over

My writing and editing business, Words in Bloom, will be a year old at the end of this month. I registered the name with the state of Ohio on March 30, 2022. To be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d make it to the first anniversary. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come closeContinue reading “The Game’s Not Over”