The doors are propped wide open. Outside, spring raced with the posture and speed of a roadrunner. This year, the redbuds flowered in storms of intense pink petals, rivaling my childhood memories of strolling under cherry blossoms at their peak. Windflowers on the hilltops (Anemone, berlandieri) and the endemic variety deep in the gorge (Anemone, … Continue reading Inside… For Just A While
I stood at the edge of the gorge and glimpsed spring. The grass was dead and matted but through the brown blades popped purple and white flowers — anemones. Single flowers atop a slender stem, Anemone, berlandieri, are among the early spring bloomers in the Hill Country. They are lovely, ranging in color from white … Continue reading Go Shake in the Sun… with Exhilaration
“‘But,’ said his father, stopping in front of the drawing-room window, ‘it won’t be fine.’” Virginia Woolf, To the Lighthouse The day to begin the tile repair arrived… and so did the thunder, lightening, a downpour, and three tornado emergency alerts. Since the fateful … Continue reading All in a Day… or Two
"The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected." — Robert Frost Like an alarm bell, the sprouting sedums announce the passage of time. Could it be more than a year since the first post on Take Comfort? I had three reasons to start this blog: To share stories with my kids; to challenge myself … Continue reading Take Comfort: A Year Flew Softly By
“Get out you damn fool,” she shouted. To her caregivers, Eleanor’s words were too easy to ignore, just another refusal from a memory care resident not wanting to be changed at the prescribed time. Her fingernails dug into their skin. “Stop it you damn shit.” Without pause, they pulled my mom into the restroom, her … Continue reading Noooo! Mom Did Not Say That!
Six glass doors fifteen feet from the dining table line the back wall of our home in San Antonio. Once the dark of night arrives, the uninterrupted glass panels reflect into the room like a black mirror. As we ate dinner, having returned from the grocery store only an hour before in a bitter cold … Continue reading That was Unexpected!
Let the wonder and beauty and bounty of the land be like a voice in your ear, singing a song of unity in our world — a song that celebrates coming together in harmony, creating a more splendid whole. May your Thanksgiving be a continuous celebration of gratitude. I am thankful for you. Karen
As one end of the seesaw was quickly rising off the ground, the other end was equally dropping, and for the moment, Ella and Jim — smiling and laughing — joined in a friendly, cautious, and calculating contest that tested their trust of each other. They recognized their equal power to send the other slamming … Continue reading Go Play!
The space looked like it did once before while looking like it never did. Gone is the agave, the “Green Giant,” attentively watched for months as the leaf, stalk, and flower put on their respective performances. The leaf, once standing tall and sturdy and razor sharp, flopped to the dirt in decline until stiff and … Continue reading Cry, Heart, But Never Break: Part 2
When we turned into the driveway of the ranch house our eyes were drawn to the agave. We gasped. As always, the massive agave stood stately and bold in stature — extending a human-scaled welcome, as if from a guard on post, assuring us all was well under her protective watch. The unquestionable strength and … Continue reading Cry, Heart, But Never Break: Part 1