Life is indeed good. — I suspect some people would have thought losing my job at 58 would be devastating to me. No, not even a little. I worked almost 14 years for a company where I never really fit. If I’d been my own best friend, I would have kicked my ass. A time of change and reflection It was…

September Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Comfort” — Not even the heavens remain unchanged. When I get stressed, sometimes a deep breath and a look into the sky calm me. It’s odd, really. You would think something static, something that remains the same, something you can count on, would bring more comfort. But the skies are always different. Even skies devoid of clouds have…

Travel time — Freestyle — Today is ending; tomorrow looks promising. I love travel. I love to fly. I love to fly in anything that will sail in the sky. I’m trying to check off as many ways and types of aircraft I can. Just the idea of a flight thrills me. I suspect it always has. I had a committee…

Because I was allowed to speak — I found some of my elementary school report cards recently. I had a stomachache on every first day of school. By nature I am an introvert with a shy side. I’m also from a big, loud family. In that safe environment, or with people I know, I am a talker. …

It’s one of my favorite things — I don’t know when it first captured my attention. I have loved hot air balloons since a factory started making them close to where I lived around the time I was in high school. …

Give a gift — People frustrate me. Yes, for many reasons, but one reason in particular annoys me on a regular basis. We don’t celebrate our people. I was thinking about that just now as I got my Facebook reminder of which of my friends had birthdays today. Some had many greetings from people…

It was a good offer — The background I was a couple of years out of college, working a very low paying job at an insurance company. A Southern insurance company, and I was a woman. For those that don’t understand, young men with college degrees were brought into the company for sales jobs, which would eventually propel…

Summer Six Word Photo Story Challenge: “Shine!” — Some musicians create their own spotlight. This banjo belongs to Sparrow. Along with her husband Keith, she fronts a band called The Resonant Rogues. They performed at a small private music festival my friends Bob and Lisa hold each year called The Mountain Shadow Music Festival. …

Grandpa probably thought it was his house, but we knew — When I say “Sunday dinner” I mean lunch. That’s what Grandma used to call that mid-day meal. Every Sunday of my childhood, every one of her children and grandchildren that were able showed up at her house for lunch. Yes, her house. Grandpa lived there, too, and though he was…