Welcome!
I hope you will enjoy reading some of the essays, stories, and blog posts for this website and will return periodically to read what’s new. I love to write and to share what I’ve learned and reflected on—whether the inspiring events took place this past week or decades ago. My interests are quite varied, and so are the topics for what appears on this site. What is consistent is that these are reflections that offer my perspective, most often with a positive way of looking at what’s happened and what that’s meant to me. Unfortunately, I’ve been unable to add content to the site for quite a while due to being treated for gallbladder cancer. I hope to resume creating and sharing essays in autumn of 2023.
Essays & Stories
Memories
mini-memoir pieces
from a rewarding personal life
PHOTO CREDIT: CARLOS PEREYRA
Been There, Done That, Learned a Thing or Two
lessons learned, knowledge and skills
tested again and again
Desultory Reflections & Philosophical Thoughts
observations on culture, ethics, and
contemporary conditions
PHOTO CREDIT: Distinctively Dickinson
Literature Reviews
formal and informal critiques of
works in contemporary literature
fiction
short stories and flash fiction
inspired by others’ lives
Books:
upcoming and available book-length works
E-Books
downloadable cuisine travelogues
Print Books
young children’s literature
Blog
Soft Pretzels and German Brown Mustard
I understand that there are people who cannot imagine putting any kind of mustard on pretzels. I get that. I can’t imagine putting yellow mustard on anything. Pretzels, of course, should be paired with German-style brown mustard. This is no advertisement, but I grew...
A Day Placed in Perspective
There is no question that I am extremely fortunate to have the life I have. I never lose sight of that. I will also observe that even when our challenges are small, they can add up to mental exhaustion. Today was that kind of day. By mid-afternoon I had concluded that...
Feline OCD
One of our cats is just plain crazy (and I mean that in a non-pejorative way). The other has what I can only guess is obsessive-compulsive disorder. For humans, OCD involves focused, persistent thoughts that are brought on by anxiety. The obsessive thoughts tend to...
About Patricia
