Category: Storytelling

Message from a Spiny Orb Weaver Spider

This spiny orb weaver spider brought me the message I needed to hear When we moved into our new apartment in April 2013, our next-door neighbor turned out to be a spiny orb weaver spider. At the time, I didn’t know what type of critter she was… I just knew that she was a pretty funky-looking …

My Mom, The Queen of Courage

My mother, Anne, was the Queen of Courage in my life – a graceful, gracious and tough lady, especially when faced with adversity. The Finns have the perfect word for her kind of toughness – sisu – which describes determination and perseverance when faced with adversity. My mom had sisu up the wazoo. That’s why I …

Zombie lawn decor starts apocalypse

Did my zombie lawn decorations accidentally start an apocalypse last Halloween? It started out as a typical Halloween night. The sun had set and I was waiting for the first trick-or-treaters to arrive, when – all of a sudden – I heard this awful moaning on the front lawn. The yard decorations were on a zombie …