Author Kathy Johansen, a 3rd grade teacher, lives in Lakewood, WA. She recently published her first book. She is a member of the Greater Gig Harbor Literary Society. When Kathy is not writing, she loves spending time with family, knitting (hand and machine), and reading. Which genres do you cover?Kathy Johansen: Children’s fiction books. Which […]
To Ponder
Letter: Nothing Better
“When I saw you two up there on the rock, I thought to myself ‘they’ve either been married for 15 minutes or for 50 years.’” We were trying to take our own picture and were obviously struggling to do so given our precarious perch atop the jetty. The stranger down below smiled at our predicament […]
Letter: Overwhelmed By Beauty, Captivated By Mud
She couldn’t have been maybe two years old. Dressed in her Sunday church-going best, she knelt at the edge of the muddy patch created by an earlier rain. All – everyone in fact – who happened by, understandably so, avoided the smallish amount of muck oozing from the ground. But not her. As her parents […]
Letter: The fertilizer salesman
Submitted by Greg Alderete. In the town of Bluffington, there lived a man,Senator Bob, with a master plan.By day he made laws, all polished and neat,By night he sold manure down Mulberry Street. “Come one, come all, to Bob’s Fertilizer!Your plants will grow taller, stronger, and wiser!”He’d shout and he’d boast, with a wink in […]
Letter: Meet the Fear-Biters
Submitted by Aaron Arkin. A “Fear-Biter” is a dog that bites out of fear, often because it feels overwhelmed or threatened. It is a form of aggression where the dog’s primary motivation is to protect itself from perceived danger. As to why it happens, several reasons have been cited, among which include: As to how […]
Letter: Be Like the Daisy
They’re everywhere underfoot. Hundreds of them, thousands even. Found on every continent but Antarctica, the ‘flower of spring’ with its tiny happy face and sunny disposition brightens hillsides, cheers landscapes and meadows, even messages its love and innocence from the dark mouth of a cannon. “It’s difficult not to grin when you see a field […]
Don’t Just Sit There and Die – Fighting Cancer – Radiation Therapy
Thanks to Andrea Neill. Hardy always liked the name Hardy that his parents gave him: “robust; capable of enduring difficult conditions.” His father had been active and even played ball with Hardy when he was just five foot six. As Hardy grew up he played tennis, basketball, and football. He loved football the most . […]
Letter: My Friend
Submitted by Greg Alderete. Desert storm was looming. The tension was palpable and it was clear we were going to counter attack there seem to be a sense of purpose I had not seen in the military beforehand In the long, polished halls of Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe, power moved in quiet footsteps and hushed […]
Letter: Wetlands are Sanctuaries
Submitted by Gregory Alderete. Wetlands and marshes are among the most extraordinary and delicate ecosystems on Earth. Formed over centuries, they provide a haven for countless species of plants and animals while offering immense environmental benefits. However, these critical landscapes are disappearing at an alarming rate due to human activity. Their destruction is not only […]