by Carole Duff | May 13, 2019 | Dogs & Other Creatures, Faith, Nature |
“Keith, Keith! Look out the dormer window!” “What? Where?” “There’s a snake draped on top of the tomato trellis above the square foot garden.” “I see it now. Maybe its hunting birds or camouflaging itself against hawks.” Birds often perched on the trellis. And a...
by Carole Duff | May 6, 2019 | Faith, Nature, Writing and Reading |
A couple of weeks ago, a wood thrush banged into one of our windows. Other birds have done the same and recovered, like last summer’s Scarlet Tanager and more recently, this yellow-bellied sapsucker. Keith and I had not seen wood thrushes here at Vanaprastha, though...
by Carole Duff | Apr 29, 2019 | Faith, Family, Writing and Reading |
One day, spring semester 1981 in my American Humanities class at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, we viewed a slide of Mary Cassatt’s Mother and Child. As a young and somewhat pretentious teacher, I pronounced Cassatt’s last name in French—apologies to my students. Also,...
by Carole Duff | Apr 22, 2019 | Dogs & Other Creatures, Faith, Local or Human Interest |
“Freya, come,” I called out the kitchen door. Though Heathcliff came and waited inside the door, she trotted in the opposite direction. Apparently, she wanted to run and bark a little longer before breakfast. “Heathcliff, sit,” I said, holding his food bowl above his...
by Carole Duff | Apr 15, 2019 | Dogs & Other Creatures, Faith, Family, Nature |
Though April showers may come your way They bring the flowers that bloom in May Did I see lightning first last night or hear thunder? No matter. I knew the click-click of dog toe tails on the wood floor was Freya, leaving our bedroom, because Heathcliff...
by Carole Duff | Apr 8, 2019 | Faith, Family, Local or Human Interest, Nature, Writing and Reading |
Last week’s warm temperatures and gentle rain brought a burst of spring to Vanaprastha, and with it the invasion of weeds. The usual culprits at our elevation are dandelion, chickweed, ground ivy, and broadleaf plantain. At first, the weeds look attractive to people...
