When I was a kid, poppies were the evil flowers that threatened the lives of Dorothy and her friends in the Wizard of Oz movie. And these days the word “poppy” often brings to mind the killer seeds of the opium crisis. But the starkly bright poppy blossom, often blood red, represents something much, much more: a remembrance of lives lost in battle against foes both seen and unseen. Continue reading Poppies
On social media, people have been sharing how they are coping the changes in our daily lives brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of us have been playing board games with the spouse and kids. Some of us have been cooking – and eating – more comfort food. And many of us who generally escape into books have been binge-watching favorite TV shows. … Continue reading X marks the binge-worthy
For the last few years, I’ve worked from home. Many’s the project I could have tackled during those halcyon days of Before Times, but I avoided tasks like cleaning out junk drawers (yes, plural) like they could give me, well, coronavirus. But put me under pandemic house arrest and suddenly I’m a whirlwind of productive activity. I’ve documented my triumph over mismatched plastic containers on … Continue reading Pandemic Projects
It’s long been my belief that coming together at mealtimes to sip some wine, swap stories, and learn what’s been going on in each others’ lives, is an essential part of what it is that makes us human. From the time of the stone age, early Homo Sapiens would gather about the communal fire each night for safety, stories, and food. And although this now … Continue reading Dinner in a Time of Pandemic
Chicks on the Case 