Perspective

A string of petty annoyances happened last week. My author web site caroleduff.com got flagged for malware; the living room smoke alarm associated with our security system alerted low battery even after we replaced it; making a simple checkup appointment turned into a...

Try and Trophy

Last week, a rejection email showed up in my inbox. “Although I don’t find your essay right for our needs, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to consider it,” the editor wrote. Nice Try but no Trophy. Submitting a piece for publication is like...

Frontiers

Rain fell softly over the Rockfish Valley that morning in May, and fog hovered over the Blue Ridge Mountains. The weather forecast called for a break in the rain from mid-morning to early afternoon, enough time for our guests and us to visit The Frontier Culture...

On Being Late

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Romans 7:15 (NRSV)   Thursday late afternoon, headed northbound on route 151, I waited six cars back from the attendant holding a Stop/Slow flip sign. Streams of...