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
Category: Beyond the page
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?!
Mardi Gras 2022
Some days it’s hard to face the world. It’s a mess out there. Then Mardi Gras comes around, and the parades are rolling and bands are playing and people are gathering, unlike last year. And I remember what makes New Orleans special: not so much “The City that Care Forgot” but the courage and resilience…Continue reading Mardi Gras 2022
Winter in New Orleans
Happy New Year! We’re finally having a spate of chilly weather, not cold enough to snow, but enough for thick sweaters, hot chocolate, and woolly socks. I’ve written before about the pleasures of hygge and how much I look forward to New Orleans’ cozy season. Having grown up in Wisconsin, I miss reading by a…Continue reading Winter in New Orleans
A Margaret Rutherford moment
With so much going on in the world (and life), keeping anxiety in check can feel like a full-time job. I’m finding comfort in the movies of Dame Margaret Rutherford, a truly spectacular character actor, and from what I read, a lovely human being. Last night, I watched the 1945 version of Blithe Spirit for…Continue reading A Margaret Rutherford moment