No one said…
our good-byes would be so difficult and have to last forever.
our journey crossing the Atlantic would be so long.
trains rides lasting days would take us across vast America
so many hardships and crisis could be experienced on the plains.
prairie grasses waved in the wind and beauty was found as far as the eyes could see.
the family would flourish and great bounty be realized.
the snows ran deep and a pioneer Christmas could be so perfect.
how important owning land would be for Papa.
…But I did and I am.
March 2014
I was a secondary teacher of middle school English and later a history teacher at our local high school. English teachers don’t really have a life because to be effective papers need to be graded and returned in a timely manner. I am so glad to have an English background, but have to admit history has always been my favorite subject to teach even though some kids will tell you it’s boring.
I learned history at my father’s dinner table. He was a WWII veteran and from an early age told my sister, me and later my brother stories about the war, history and politics. So it was not surprising I would become a history teacher. Of course in those days there was not the competition for attention I think teachers must navigate today. To peak kids’ interest I became a story-teller, and that was successful.
So when my friend Judy asked me to do some writing with her, I accepted and eventually we chose a project for young girls focusing on 100 years of history. Our goal became to interest today’s girls in fictional heroines set in historical periods to demonstrate that reading history can be fun. We have selected ten fictional girls to introduce in a book with correct historical settings, events and people. Nine of the ten of them are named for our granddaughters. The book is in progress, and we will tell you more about them later.
February 2014
Thirty-five years ago I helped found a catering business with my mother and two of her friends. This was something I could do at home while my boys were still little. We built a kitchen on our property and pursued the business for ten years. An international oil company had offices here, and we were kept very busy. All of our families helped at one time or another. I went back to teaching when my older son entered high school, and the other ladies continued the business for a couple of years.
Cooking is my passion, and I continue to enjoy experimenting with new ideas and dishes. Ironically, both boys enjoy cooking as well, and it’s fun to share this hobby with them. Many of the recipes onthis site are some I have developed over the years.
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