While moving across the country has meant many changes for the Clares, one really lovely perk is living close enough to visit family. My kids have only visited my great-grandpa's old house once, years ago. I'm excited to take them there again for a quick stop during the waning days of this summer. Who knows… Continue reading Behind Great-Grandpa’s Walls
Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash I had high hopes of sharing a new post with you this week. It's in process still, as moving preparations continue to swallow all of my life that school and family haven't already consumed. However, as I sorted through the mess that is my room, I came upon a little box that… Continue reading Tangible History
"Troops of the US Army 2nd Infantry Division march up the bluff at the E-1 draw in the Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach, Normandy, France on D+1, June 7, 1944. They are going past the German bunker, Widerstandsnest 65 (WN 65), that defended the route up the Ruquet Valley to Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer." US Army Signal Corps, Public domain, via… Continue reading Preserving a Piece of History
Recent family visits didn't only give us an excuse to escape to the mountains for a bit- it also allowed me to get a peek at some family history. Part of my interest in the Second World War stemmed from knowing that my Grandpa served. Like many of his generation, he never talked about the… Continue reading A Little Family History (and the Danger of Wearing Too Many Hats)
Well, here's another "later in the day than intended" post! My internet's still down, so I typed the first half of this in my van while simultaneously trying to sort out one last pre-publishing formatting glitch with my formatter who's currently travelling. Ah, the glamourous writing life! Still, complications or no, the countdown to this… Continue reading Musical Interlude “Sentimental Journey”
It's amazing what strong associations music can forge in memory. "I Dream of Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair" always reminds me of my grandma. The third verse of "Away in a Manger" will always be the bed-time prayer Dad sang with me, which I now sing with my children. And the thumping, march-y beat… Continue reading Musical Interlude: “Onward Christian Soldiers”
My kitchen is starting to smell like Christmas again! The bananas sat too long, so banana bread is in the oven. The butter is softening for sugar cookie dough, since I have high hopes that we can get it rolled, cut and frosted this weekend, somewhere between church decorating, Christmas caroling and our children's special… Continue reading On Baking, Butter, and a Shameless Deception
I remember my great-grandpa fondly, as a tough old Swede who chopped wood into his 80's, and who had a smile that beamed from ear to ear. Long before my time, he served as an Army cook in World War I, and while in France cooked for the President's daughter (or so family legend attests.)… Continue reading Behind Great-Grandpa’s Walls
I've accepted the fact that my home is not my own. Shining plastic eyes of a zoo's worth of stuffed animals watch as I try to cross my living room unwounded by Legos and matchbox cars. Bath toys attack from their shelf as I grab the disinfectant, and search for the source of that… Continue reading Tangible History
December is here, it's officially Advent, and in my house that means baking season. My cookbooks are filled with favorite cookie recipes from my mom, grandmas, in-laws, and friends. If I only make the essentials, I've got a half a dozen types to whip together in the next four weeks. It gets a little crazy, and… Continue reading On Baking, Butter, and a Shameless Deception
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