How do you celebrate Mother’s Day Italian-style? Well, nowhere are mothers celebrated more than they are in Italy. In fact, Mother’s Day seems made for Italian mammas! Many Italians idolize their mothers, and she’s never far from their lips. From the simple phrase Mamma Mia (oh my goodness) to songs that honor and revere her, like the […]
An old Chinese proverb states that the finest memory is not so firm as faded ink. So as I find myself aging, I decided to record some of my memories – before they fade beyond recall. Yet even as I pen these memoirs I can’t help but wonder why the unbosomings of an ordinary old […]
One day, while watching an old Andy Griffith episode my 6-year-old grandson piped up with a question. “Why don’t they want that man to sing, Nonna? He sings real good!” That man was Rafe Hollister who, with his golden singing voice, had entered, and won, the singing contest held by the local Ladies’ Society. But […]
Today I’m looking back, way back. Yesterday was Dad’s birthday and he would have been 87. He died last year, just 4 days before his 86th birthday. I still miss him and always will. Especially because of all the years we lost. All my years overseas, so far away from my family. It’s not that […]
From the time our children were babies we read to them a lot, identifying pictures in books. Building their vocabulary, along with their love of books, one word, one page at a time. And it paid off! Our daughter could say many words by 9 months. And by the age of one, she was speaking […]
John Wesley said, “What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.” He was referring to sin. And we have seen this play out throughout history. But I’d like to look at it from a different perspective. Children are always listening to, watching, and imitating adults. And they often follow any example they’re shown. Kids from violent […]