Today, the Germanism I have chosen will lead us into the Neolithic Age – and what we are still able to find, interestingly all over the world: the burial sites that are falling into the category Hügelgrab (pronounce approximately: ‘hoo-gal-grahb, meaning mound grave). They are gravesites built from rocks, then covered with smaller stones and […]
To Ponder
Letter: The Flower on the Floor
I clapped along with the others as employees were recognized for their outstanding leadership over the past year. Bouquets were presented, pictures taken, hugs, smiles, and laughter predominated. Among the last to head in the direction others had gone to partake of refreshments, I noticed a single flower on the tile floor. Absentmindedly I picked […]
Letter: It’s All Happening At The Zoo
I graduated from high school in 1968. The year before, 1967, Simon and Garfunkel wrote “At the Zoo.” In all my years of education I don’t remember ever having gone to the zoo. But on this past Friday, May 3, I went to the zoo with the kiddos from my very own Tillicum Elementary School […]
Letter: Why Flowers Are A Necessity, Not A Luxury
Why do you think flowers are found in the wild, sprinkled in meadows on mountain sides as if an expert gardener had flung them everywhere, to be borne far and wide on the wind, multiplied seeds of myriad varieties? And why do we with such delight discover the fragile denizens of the forest, shyly sheltered […]
Knapp’s Restaurant on North Proctor
Peggy and I hadn’t eaten at Knapp’s Restaurant on North Proctor (Tacoma’s Northend) in ages, so when our friends Jan and Mike called suggesting going out for breakfast, we jumped at the suggestion. It was a Sunday morning, so we were a little worried about getting seats, but spaces were wide open. Part of the […]
Where Does the Moon Go Once a Month?
Submitted by Brooklyn Munguia. Since the beginning of time there has been an extraordinarily beautiful woman named Esmeray in control of the moon strolling along the white rock ever so gracefully as she travels around the earth. From the top of the moon she could see him, the love of her life, the man on […]
Let’s Talk! – At the Snap
Whoa, is this even an idiom? It should be “at the snap of a finger”, shouldn’t it? Because this immediately comes to my mind when reading these three words. So, at the snap of my fingers, please, switch off your screens and start contemplating this week’s writing prompt. Snap! You wouldn’t believe that as a […]
Letter: Mother’s Day – Hands Reveal the Heart
“Hands in!” the coach will holler. The four-and-five-year olds will huddle, scrunched together – after all their arms are not very long – and little fingers will drape over those of their teammates awaiting last-minute pre-game instructions. Instructions like, “what do we do when we hit the ball?” “Run to first!” all shout in unison. […]
Across the Fence: Kutte
The first thing that came to my mind when I came across the Germanism “Kutte” (pronounce: ‘koote with a short “o”) in the English language was the traditional garment of a monk. A cloak with a hood and a rope-like belt; the fabric coarse and simple, the color black, gray, brown, or white. Think of […]