rothenbush37

THE VALUE OF BOREDOM

Every fall I go away for an extended time alone in a cabin in the woods and I’m off to do so again in a few days. I’ve chronicled it in previous posts. I choose state park cabins because they are fairly primitive: no TV, no internet, heat by wood stove. There are lots ofContinue reading “THE VALUE OF BOREDOM”

RAMBLING THOUGHTS ABOUT RESTING MY BRAIN

I have just turned 78!! Getting older never bothered me much, but as my body is catching up to the numbers, the last few years have given me pause to think about what I want to do with my remaining “perky” years. Someday travel will be too exhausting, it almost is now sometimes. Someday my kidsContinue reading “RAMBLING THOUGHTS ABOUT RESTING MY BRAIN “

A THOUGHT IN NEED OF FURTHER PONDERING

OK, here’s what I’m thinking, as I’m way past midlife. At almost 78, I guess I’m an endlife girl! I used to see life as a series of many stages or phases, 1, 2, 3, etc; but now I’m thinking maybe not so much. Maybe only two. First we build and explore in order toContinue reading “A THOUGHT IN NEED OF FURTHER PONDERING”

CHAOS AND PEACE – FOLLOWUP

I have a very long dining room table. It sits 16 people before the leaf is added! I treasure the many family dinners here, crowding in, bumping shoulders. My grand-daughter chooses the linens and plates and tablecloth. We line the silver and glassware along the table Martha Stewart style. It broke my heart to giveContinue reading “CHAOS AND PEACE – FOLLOWUP”

BEING AT PEACE WITH MY UNREST

I am not at rest, not at ease. My mind churns over and over, looking to make a decision, to decide, to then be at rest. But I am not at rest, and I wonder how it can not be so? The Pandemic looms over us as the holidays approach. Something in our hearts propelsContinue reading “BEING AT PEACE WITH MY UNREST”

To Write or Not? (When I don’t feel like it)

First, a bit of clarification might be useful about my article on the strength of my Aunt Marian. I certainly am not implying that any woman must stay with a drunk or abusive husband. I do not admire her because she did that. I have no idea how she decided that she would not kickContinue reading “To Write or Not? (When I don’t feel like it)”

This Was My Aunt Marion

In my last article I promised to write short bios of the strong ladies in my family, the history I have listening and observing them as I grew up: here’s the first. This was my Aunt Marian. We always called her that. Never simply ‘Marian’. Had to be ‘Aunt’. It was that way in myContinue reading “This Was My Aunt Marion”

Crisis

We think we live in a time of crisis and maybe we do. But we’re not the first. Americans havebeen here before. Not exactly like this, but we have been afraid before.We’ve faced unknown futures, unknown tomorrows. But we survived. I don’t know how wedid, but we found joy in our days and we movedContinue reading “Crisis”

When I was 21

When I was 21…oh, forget my 20s…I was a mess! When I was 31 I was raising my children, learning to cook and make a home. Things I knew nothing about! So I read books (a ton of books!) and talked to older and wiser women to see how they did life. I followed directionsContinue reading “When I was 21”

Menagerie

MY MENAGERIE! A child I must still be. I have stuffed animals on my bed. Lots of stuffed animals! It started with big curly-haired lamb on the clearance shelf at Kroger the week after Easter. White he was, huge black eyes staring at me. Pitiful eyes they were, lonely. That lamb, begging to be takenContinue reading “Menagerie”

Decluttering

September 25, 2018 Skittering, shuffling, scampering, out of breath I am. Books and papers and recipes, photos and letters and souvenirs. Memorabilia. Spilling over. Cramped and crowded I am, this stuff of forty years, tucked away, stored, forgotten. I have become not the boss of my house. Declutter I must! Out with forgotten books weContinue reading “Decluttering”

Fall

October 1, 2018 I have an awesome view out my back window. Yard and garden beds. Flowers and butterflies. And woods. With trees, lots of them. They are thinking of changing color and dropping their leaves. Not doing it yet, just getting ready to. They phase into it, this dying, a little at a time.Continue reading “Fall”

Diversity

October 7, 2018 I am often taken with a few key words everybody’s using. A fan of words, I’m always interested in what people mean when they use a certain term. Does it mean to them what it means to me? Are they using that word because its popular right now and if asked toContinue reading “Diversity”

DOING IT ALL!

October 15, 2018 Last week I was overwhelmed, over committed, and crabby. Its been a crazy busy summer. We’ve traveled a lot, bought a property, tore down a house, and hosted a wedding, among other things I can’t even remember. And of course, all the disagreements that come along with. So about a month agoContinue reading “DOING IT ALL!”

THE LOG

October 22, 2018 Awhile back my husband and I had a fight, sort of. We like to build fires in our fire pit, sit on the benches and have coffee some chilly mornings. He collects old logs and cuts up wood so that we always have a ready supply. One of his fave things. OffContinue reading “THE LOG”