What does it take to defend the castle against fire-breathing dragons? Even, and maybe especially if you are the princess and not the prince? More problematic, what if you are so small in stature that your sword is longer than you are tall? The answer to this and most if not all challenges in life […]
To Ponder
In the Book Nook with … Harriet Arden Byrd
Author Harriet Arden Byrd lives in Arlington, Washington, where she owns a dog walking business. She has traveled widely in vagabond style, often with pack animals or by sledge. She has also been shaped by living all across North America, in Southern Mexico, in the Arctic of Northern Europe, and by traditional indigenous cultures. Yet […]
Across the Fence: Poodle
Who has never heard or seen a poodle? My first longer-time encounter was with a so-called Standard Poodle my American Aunt and Uncle used to have. Charlie was ginormous and gentle, felt ashamed of his looks when he came back from the groomer, and did his best to destroy any fancy accessories on him as […]
Sailing Away in Defense – Our Gray Ships Nearby
Since World War II, the National Defense Transportation Association has served our country’s national defense and homeland security as a trusted environment where government, military, and private sector professionals can solve pressing challenges in the fields of logistics, transportation, and passenger travel services. I got to see this in action. I’m a long time member […]
Who Doesn’t Love a Good Laugh? – Coming September 8th
From guffaws to knee slappers, a good laugh relaxes your body and makes you feel better. Laughter can help relieve pain, bring greater happiness, and even increase immunity. Tacoma Little Theatre has already expanded their next production, The Play That Goes Wrong, from September 8th to October 1st. You will not want to miss this […]
Letter: What Starts with ‘D’?
‘D’ is for duck. And daisy. And Dutch. My wife was Dutch. And ‘D’ is for David. That’s me. ‘Day’ starts with ‘D’. And there was a day I’ll never forget, never regret, for however many more days I have left. It was the day fifty years ago that this David proposed to that beautiful […]
Soon It’s Gonna Rain – Farewell, Tom Jones
My junior year at Clover Park High School in Lakewood was magical. I took a number of speech classes as well as acting classes. My teacher in all these endeavors was Virginia Heidbreder. In addition to regular classes, Mrs. Heidbreder arranged for a trip to the University of Washington just for her students, where we […]
In the Book Nook with … E.M. Anderson
Author E.M. Anderson lives in Northwest Ohio and works as an administrative assistant at a university. She has been writing for about 20 years, but her first book, “The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher,” was published only in last April. She has also had short stories published in SJ Whitby’s “Awakenings: A Cute Mutants Anthology” […]
Across the Fence: Bock
Have you ever heard of the German term “Bock”? The beer drinkers among you certainly know it to be a strong, dark lager variant. But why is it called “bock”?! To be honest, I didn’t know this either, except that it is a strong beer. And that, accordingly, Doppel-Bock (“double bock”) must be doubly strong. […]