Although I strive for an open heart, I've been quiet lately. Let's be open with each other. There are reasons for my silence. Yes, I lost my father recently. And yes, I am in the midst of running Mother-Daughter Way ONE, which is fabulous and bountiful and exciting. But my quietness puzzles me: I love to write. I write daily, so why have I been reluctant to post? Perhaps I've muted myself because the airwaves were overcrowded with incredibly loud and angry, even hateful speech. The … [Read more...]
Before DIY Was Trendy, There was Erma . . .
Today, on the 15th day of Women's History Month, I'm honoring my paternal grandmother, Erma Rebecca Frederick Wilson. Born on July 1, 1890, Erma spent her entire 97 years in Columbiana, Ohio. We visited her at the house where my father grew up, one block from Main Street. Her home was spotless and she always filled a table with fresh vegetables from her kitchen garden, pickles, canned peaches, cottage cheese, freshly made bread, pies, cookies and home-made preserves. She was the epitome of the … [Read more...]
Pork Cake or Persimmon: Women’s Stories Evolve
I've always found groups of women produce fascinating stories and brilliant solutions. Whenever I am in a transition, there are women around me in the same boat. We bond, magnetically –like Spanky and Our Gang– and the tide pulls us forth. There was an early writing group I dubbed Ladies of the Lake (LOL); then another, Great Ones (GO); I convened a series of Goddess Brunches to … [Read more...]
Honoring Our Mothers; Honoring Ourselves
On Monday, I had the privilege of sharing stories about our mothers with ten women I've known through my writing circles, yoga, and teaching. Our mothers had names like Evangeline, Antoinette and Margery. They raised gaggles of children, cleaned house wearing spike heels, and had dinner ready for their husbands every evening. We said their names. We honored their struggles. We shared our own. I've heard from many more than could attend that the pain of unresolved questions about mother … [Read more...]
