Wintry fun in Wisconsin

We took the train from New Orleans to Chicago, an overall pleasant experience–more spacious than a plane, and less stressful than driving–though we rattled around much more than I remembered, and none of us slept in our coach seats despite the 19-hour trip (plus 5 for a freight-train accident ahead of us). When we finally…Continue reading Wintry fun in Wisconsin

My favorite books of 2022

For the past seven years, I’ve kept track of every book I read on Goodreads, a handy tool to keep track of authors and series that I’ve enjoyed so I can remember to grab the next installment. (It’s also where I park my enormous To Be Read list.) And of course there’s the stats: the…Continue reading My favorite books of 2022

November thoughts

Growing up in Wisconsin, I hated November. Cold grey skies, darkness when I woke and before I got home from school, leafless trees and dead grass without even the quiet beauty of snow. A month of dread for the next four or five months of winter yet to come. Since I’ve moved to New Orleans–and…Continue reading November thoughts

Summer’s over?!

That was fast! I suppose my kids have been back in school for weeks now, but the weather here feels just as summery as ever (if not moreso now that the persistent rain has stopped). We’ve been lucky to have made it past August with no hurricanes (unlike last summer) and none on the immediate…Continue reading Summer’s over?!

Three new books I’m excited about

This month, three authors that I admire and respect (and have the good fortune to know personally) have new books out. All three are also moms (happy belated mother’s day!) and write for kids of varying ages, so I’m looking forward to sharing their latest works with my own kids. I’ve read–and loved–just about everything…Continue reading Three new books I’m excited about