When presented, by my writing group, with the challenge to write about my experience during the pandemic, my first thought was to do it in poem form (seeing as how it’s April and National Poetry Month). “Pandemic Lifestyle” is a snapshot of some of the things that have characterized the last months for me and… Continue reading Pandemic Lifestyle – a poem
He is risen! He is risen indeed! This is how Christians around the world greet each other on the day we celebrate Jesus' resurrection from the dead, in western Christianity Easter Sunday. One last duo from Laurel and me, for this special day. I sent her the painting, she wrote the haiku. "Joy" - by… Continue reading Resurrection!
We are in the season of feasts—Passover and Easter. Isn’t it wonderful that God instituted landmark feasts—meals of special food filled with the ingredients, tastes, colours, and smells that bring spiritual realities to mind? As we’ve been reading through the Gospels at our supper table, I was moved a few weeks ago when we came… Continue reading A Lent Conversation – Week 6
Is God involved in the tiniest details of our lives? I think so. It was Laurel’s turn to start the conversation this week with a poem. When I hadn’t heard from her by last Tuesday, I emailed and asked if she had a poem for the week. It turned out she thought she had sent… Continue reading A Lent Conversation – Week 5
I can hardly believe we're already into week four of our Lent project. This week I sent Laurel the prompt--a painting I did, inspired by a photo I took on a summer holiday trip we made to Salt Spring Island some years ago. I love her psalm-like prayer poem in response. My painting and the… Continue reading A Lent Conversation – Week 4
This is the second instalment of a Lenten conversation between Laurel Archer, my poet friend, and me providing some art. This week I sent Laurel a painting as a prompt. She responded with a poem. The Hellebore plant was new to me when I moved to the coast (we didn’t have it in Saskatchewan, at… Continue reading A Lent Conversation – Week 2
Do you keep Lent? Lent is a church season—a time of sober introspection in preparation for Easter—that my faith tradition mentioned only in passing. But I do love the idea of a faith calendar where one remembers and honours each season of faith at a set time each year. In the spirit of discovering, appreciating,… Continue reading A Lent Conversation
It’s always a joy to celebrate the coming out of a new book by a fellow Canadian writer. Today is the day we fete Deb Elkink and the re-release of her prize-winning debut novel The Third Grace (originally published in 2011). It comes out with a new cover, but the same rich interior. Here is… Continue reading The Third Grace – review
Fresh Joy: Finding Joy in the Midst of Loss, Hardship and Suffering by Heidi McLaughlin My rating: 5 of 5 starsWhen the sudden and unexpected death of a partner hit Heidi McLaughlin for the second time, it would not have been surprising if she’d have become bitter and joyless. But she was determined not to… Continue reading Fresh Joy – review
Blood Ties by Tracy Krauss My rating: 4 of 5 starsIn Blood Ties, Book 2 of Tracy Krauss’s Three Strand Cord series, we again get involved in the lives of Stella, Tempest, and Cherise.College-educated Stella returns to her ranch home in Texas to find both ranch-hand brothers in love with her.Dirk, Cherise’s brother, falls for… Continue reading Blood Ties – review
Violet Nesdoly 