You can get a master’s degree. You can travel through 40 countries. You can confront governors and oil companies. You can edit the front page of a major metropolitan newspaper. You can start a news agency in Afghanistan. You can teach writing and reporting, editing and photography in 20 other countries. But you’re still a woman. … read more Even now
Author: Pennies
Noon, January 20
When the minute of silence came, I closed my eyes and bowed my head. My hands began to shake. And then I began to sob. I covered my face and held the noise inside so as not to disturb anyone around me. A woman that I had met just a few minutes before put her … read more Noon, January 20
Mark of the maker
The two women held up a large item partially encased in bubble wrap. “Where does this go?” they asked. I stared. It took a second to recognize the stained glass lamp – because one side of it was caved in. “It hangs above the dining table,” I said. “But … it’s broken.” I was running … read more Mark of the maker
The quiet hours
The tea cup warms my hands as I sink back into the leather recliner and snuggle my feet under a fleece blanket. The only light comes from the lava lamp on the mantel and the faint glow of the skyscrapers across the way. There are no sounds at all. Branches make a sumi painting of … read more The quiet hours
A summer’s day
Had the air conditioning on in the car today. It’s January 17. 76 degrees here in Atlanta, according to our car’s gauge. A week ago, ice on the roads kept the workers away from finishing our house. I read last week that another big chunk of Antarctica has an 11-mile crack and may be about … read more A summer’s day
New house
[Sunday, Jan. 15] We slept soundly, and woke up this morning in our own bed at last. It squeaked. Loudly. In the dozen years we’ve owned it, the frame hasn’t squeaked before. The movers left off some screws when they reassembled it. I’ve always loved the smell of this house that emanates from the raw wood … read more New house
Harvest moon
[Jan. 14] It takes awhile to vacuum the little pieces of paper in the office left over from the shredder. I try to get some joy out of using the leaf-blower on the deck, but individual leaf stems and bird seed are stuck between the floorboards. In this last cleaning of the rental house, I’m … read more Harvest moon
Lay of the land
Driving up and down the mountain to our house, I forget what 2,000 feet of elevation really means. The way to know the land is to walk. When I look at a topographical map, I can situate myself in the larger environment. Imagine what it was like for the pioneers. They knew to follow rivers, … read more Lay of the land
Azalea restored
I pull into the driveway at 9 a.m. – no dumpster filling half of it, no portaJohn on the car pad. I have a lot of cleaning yet to do before the movers arrive. Many hours ahead of directing the crew, unpacking boxes and putting things away. Before the day begins, I want to just look … read more Azalea restored
A cat named Daisy
I’m home in the mountains, and I took a walk. It was 32 degrees at 5 o’clock. I came up a hill and saw a black animal dashing across the road far ahead. I thought it was a dog. When I got to the corner, I saw that it was a cat. A fat black … read more A cat named Daisy