Author Archives: Carol

I have reprinted this story from 2021.Marguerite Heatley, TurnbullMy Mother, nicknamed Rita, was born on the original Armistice day in 1918 in The Detroit metro area. She was the second oldest of four siblings. Unlike her older sister Dorothy, Rita loved to help care for her little brother and sister.When she was around age eight,Continue reading “Mother Memories, May 12, 2024 656 words”

While in college, my roommate was a member of the Chicano Student Club. I was interested in their activities so I joined. To raise funds for scholarships, they organized dances with the club cooking the Mexican fare. Tacos, frijoles, burritos and rice were offered to the paid guests. Working in the kitchen, I soon learnedContinue reading “Cinco de Mayo. 226 words”

I have always loved animals, but they don’t all go for me. I have found that as I have less sight, some dogs and cats take advantage of the situation.My daughter’s cat, Leo, has know me for 11 years. He delights walking just outside my reach. He will flick his tail to thwart my attemptsContinue reading “Let Quiet Dogs Lie April 30, 2024 330 words”

Thought the official start of Earth Day was in 1970, my childhood was filled with earth friendly practices, encouraged by my parents. I recall many paper drives. My brothers were paperboys. They would offer to collect undelivered newspapers and collect the read papers from neighbors on junk day. Papers were stacked on the top ofContinue reading “April 22, A Personal Earth Day 2024 814 words”

On April 14th, 1912, the great luxury liner Titanic, struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic. Two hours later, on the 15th, the great ship was resting on the ocean floor two miles below in a watery grave. What has sparked the imagination of people about this ship?The Titanic along with her two sister shipsContinue reading “Titanic, April 15, 2024 485 words”

Here in the upper mid west, we will experience an eclipse on Monday afternoon. This will be the last total eclipse for North America in the 21 century. I have memories of eclipses. We were told not to look directly at the sun. Dark glasses or holes in cardboard could be used to reflect theContinue reading “Eclipses Then and Now, April 8, 2024 354 words”

I have mixed feelings about this day. In my family, Grandpa Al was a jokester. He delighted teasing his Grand children. I recall him telling me not to go into the cellar, because it was full of snapping turtles. When I tried to explore, he cooked a green cream soup that he claimed was turtle.Continue reading “Fooling Around, April 1st, 2024 523 words”

This past week, modern medicine made national news with a genetically altered pig’s kidney transplanted into a 52 year old man. New hope for patients waiting for organs. I wonder if we are looking for a quick fix to our medical problems. Are we spending millions on research and not enough on other medical concerns,Continue reading “Prescription Order Woes, March 25, 2024 398 words”

It started with a poetry workshop. One of the suggested readings was, “Braided Creek.” A book written by Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser , about two poets corresponding poems to each other without identifying the author. This allowed the poems to stand, blend into one book.I was drawn to this form but I needed anotherContinue reading “In for the Long Haul March 18, 2024 333 words”

Spring is the time when we set our clocks to spring forward an hour. In the fall, we return to this clock setting. The history of this change can be traced to 1919. During WWI, factories, offices along with other manufacturers, used the longer daylight hours in the war effort. This clock setting practice continuesContinue reading “Daylight Savings Time, March 11, 2024 288 words”