Thanksgiving is over, and my house is quiet and empty, but for three dogs who watch me like hawks, wondering when I might cook again so they can catch the crumbs. I understand how they feel. I’m stuffed with holiday goodness already, wondering when I’ll get more, but I’m not talking about leftovers or giblet gravy on toast.

When Michler's Florist delivered this beautiful, eleven-year-old juniper bonsai tree, I almost threw up. There had to be a misunderstanding. I didn't deserve such a generous gift, nor was I capable of caring for it. And after reading the three pages of illustrated instructions that came with it, I felt like someone had left a baby in a basket on my front porch.

The end as a beginning is a concept we all experience in various ways and easily take for granted because we are so focused on what’s next that we don’t see the transformation taking place.

I noticed the yellowing of tree leaves yesterday and blamed it on the lack of rain. Surely summer can't be over. And yet, the official end of summer depends on the calendar you use, but meteorologically, August 31 marks the start of Autumn.

Back to Blue Holly won a Readers’ Favorite Award!

I had a great time talking about Back to Blue Holly on Best of the Bluegrass with Jennifer Palumbo. Here’s the segment.

Family Week is not a vacation, but rather a time for attending, planning, and playing the World Cup of Quality Time. It's hard work that requires dedication, core strength, and a solid organizational structure. Still, it's worth it for all the reasons outlined here and because, after a year or more of inevitable personal change, we get to know each other again—genuinely. We REUNITE in a way that closes the distance no matter how far.

In basketball, the pivot concept is simple. Once the pivot foot is established, there are three legal ways to free it: shoot, pass, or dribble. But simple is not always easy. We don't always know what the calling is on the other side of a pivot—where to dribble or pass—and the rim is rarely in clear view, what with the flailing hands in our faces.