Solace in a Book

Guest post: Laura Rodley “Luna”

By Leave a Comment

Luna Sure sign of summer, the pale translucence of the luna’s green wings, the green of emerging blades of grass, or new rose leaves. How such delicacy battles her way through thunderstorms, clouds, the dust of a dry summer, how her path is unerring; she returns every time, not herself, but a replica, someone born from her eggs. In April, too early for lunas, one appeared anyway, flapping at the back porch window Let me in. Walking outside, I bathed in her … [Read more...]

Reading T. C. Boyle, Ellen Bass, Donna Hilbert, Kathleen Kirk . . .

By Leave a Comment

Good morning and happy July -- rabbit, rabbit, rabbit.  I've been working on something, but it isn't finished yet. So I'll tell you what I've been reading. "The Fugitive," which is T. C. Boyle's story in the latest issue (July 4) issue of The New Yorker, and there's also a discussion with him on the ethics of disease in the Page-Turner column on the web. Ellen Bass has a poem ("The World Has Need of You")  on June 25 The Writer's Almanac. Donna Hilbert has a poem … [Read more...]

Glimpse of solace: Kathleen Buckland captures Oregon coast

By Leave a Comment

Thank goodness for Kathy Buckland! On a day when many are concerned about the Brexit vote, it is great to have the diversion of the beautiful natural world. Kathy recently traveled to the Oregon coast. Here are some of her photographs from that trip. Kathy is a frequent contributor to this site (thank-you, Kathy); you can see more of her work here and here  and here and here and here.  Originally from Long Island, NY, Kathy Buckland spends as much time as she can being … [Read more...]

The Almighty Dollar

By Leave a Comment

I was raised a Catholic. I went to Catholic grade school and high school. But I am not really a Catholic now. I have trouble with organized religions, believing faith can be corrupted once it is institutionalized. I have some atheists in my family and I tend toward the rational myself. I look at my faith as a personal thing that I don’t care to discuss. But I do not put down believers or their churches. I accept that everyone is free to make that choice and believe what he or … [Read more...]