Summer Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Shine!” — Midnight Blue Wolf. Spirit of MoonShine. I was turning in for the night when something glimmered at the high window above the door. And there was the moon peering in at me! I zoomed in with my phone, but the picture got blue and grainy with moonshine. I looked at the photo — and beheld a…

It’s about matching the date to the chromosomes — Laawaris Socks… When my daughters were young, I had a special drawer for mismatched socks. I called it “The Drawer of the Laawaris Socks.” (Laawaris in Hindi/Urdu means “unclaimed.”) I am happy to report that the missing sock usually turned up. …

“Rain is grace; rain is the sky descending to the earth…” — John Updike — Lately, I have been obsessed with rain — or the lack thereof. It has been a scorcher of a summer. Temps in the upper nineties, frequently over a hundred. And hardly any rain. It doesn’t matter how often I water my garden. Grass browns; flowers droop; leaves wilt. Then four…

Summer Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Shine” — Rain AND Shine A Rainbow Make Rain! Finally! I heard my garden sigh with happiness. Pretty sure I did. We had a sprinkle two days ago. It drizzled yesterday. And today evening — with the sun still shining — the grand finale! Rain. So, of course, a rainbow was born. Actually, two. The second rainbow is…

Mini stories from my garden — Wedelia… I kicked off the week doing lunch at a Thai restaurant. The food was spiced with my favorite herbs: ginger, Thai chili, and basil. And I had my four besties for company. When I stepped out of the restaurant, I spotted this little yellow flower (lead photo) growing by the…

Art, craft, kids, and memories — “Bookmarks …are a useful and necessary part of any bookworm’s collection.” Dana Staves Every time the grandkids come over for a longish stay, they want to do craft. With me. *Kai and *Aju are both artsy. …

How we can help our feathered friends cool down in hot summers — A Cooper’s Hawk has been visiting my bird bath every day for over a week. This had never happened in the two years since I put in the bird bath. Previously, hawks came to my backyard once in maybe six months — to take a dove at the bird feeder…

About cats, dogs, and t-shirts — At least one feline… In early spring this year, I went shopping for t-shirts to wear at home. My old tees were getting too ratty even for me. I was wearing one of my new tees when my daughter, N, came over. “Since when did you become a cat mom?” she asked. “What?” “As…

She danced into my story… — Recently, I published a photo story about my garden. And I had a ridiculously hard time writing it. I almost shelved the piece — until Ginger Rogers danced in to the rescue. A reader might ask, “But who is Ginger Rogers?” Ginger Rogers (1911–1995) was an American actress and dancer…