Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt during dinner tonight? You want to know about my thoughts on it? Here’s my take: I have had four commencements in my life, if you will. The first one was after the traditional 13 years from my German grammar school […]
About Susanne Bacon
Across the Fence: Turner and Turnverein
Have you ever run into a turnverein (pronounce: ‘toorn-fuh-ine) or a turner (pronounce: toornah) over here in the U.S.? The former means gymnastic club, the latter gymnast. And both are Germanisms in the English language. I haven’t met any so far. In the U.S., the connotation has become something different from that in Germany. As […]
In the Book Nook with … Cyndi L. Stuart
Author Cyndi L. Stuart from Harstine Island in South Puget Sound, Washington, just recently sold an artisan farm in Puyallup where she and her husband ran a small nursery and pottery studio. After years spent as a garden speaker and horticultural writer, she now teaches an online continuing education class, The Journey from Idea to […]
Let’s Talk! – A Field of Butterflies
Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt during dinner tonight? You want to know about my thoughts on it? Here’s my take: Isn’t this a pristine image? A field suggests something quiet and peaceful. Butterflies are usually something beautiful, ephemeral, therefore somewhat precious. A field of butterflies. […]
Across the Fence: Mozartkugel
Today’s Germanism in the English language is probably most interesting for all of those among you who have a sweet tooth. A Mozartkugel (pronounce: Mo-tsart-koogle, meaning Mozart ball) is made from chocolate, pistachio, marzipan, and nougat. But this is where the similarity between Mozartkugeln (plural!) ends. Because it has become a generic name for ball-shaped […]
In the Book Nook with … Sarah Ickes
Author Sarah Ickes was born and raised in the Keystone State, Pennsylvania. The social media and website manager also owns a small business, https://www.sarahickesart.com/, and designs her own book covers. Sarah started writing in elementary school, where a few of her works were published in national collections. Her first novel, The Serpent’s Star, came out […]
Let’s Talk! – Tater Tots for Lunch
Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt during dinner tonight? You want to know about my thoughts on it? Here’s my take: Funny. It IS lunchtime as I’m pondering this. Imagining the flavor and texture of tater tots makes my mouth water. I love potatoes in any […]
Across the Fence: Verschlimmbessern
I bet you stumbled while you were trying to read this German word. Actually, it’s a Germanism in the English language. And even longer words like these (which is not even long for any Germans) are actually easy to read if you simply take time and take every letter or letter combination by itself. Verschlimmbessern […]
In the Book Nook with … Mary Boone
Author Mary Boone grew up in Iowa and now lives in Tacoma’s North Slope neighborhood. She has hung out backstage with a boy band, DNA-tested salmon, and baked dozens of cricket cookies – all in the interest of research for her books and magazine articles. The newspaper reporter turned author has written more than 70 […]