Is it Discipline or Discouragement?

When used correctly, crates and exercise pens are very handy tools for dog training. Like a child’s playpen, they can be overused, or used for the wrong reasons, but they are invaluable when it comes to having a safe place to contain a puppy and avoid the havoc he could wreak when left untended. Yes, he’d rather be outside

Sunshine, Shadows and Moving On

. As much as we might wish it, life isn’t full of blue skies. There are clouds and shadows, too — a lot of mountaintop and valley experiences. We know that. Blog posts from fellow bloggers illustrate that many have faced staggering obstacles and struggled through difficult times. The internet has made it easier to

Blowdowns and Abandoned Writing Dreams

Thank goodness for a 4×4 truck! As I’ve mentioned in at least one previous post, when we head north to our cabin, the route takes us via major highways, gravel logging roads, private dirt roads and eventually to our very primitive road. There is no public access to our land, and therefore no road maintenance.

The Writer’s Eureka Moment

. Sometimes it’s writer’s block, sometimes mental exhaustion or impossible expectations, that drag us to a standstill. A lethargy sets in that smothers ambition and overshadows everything with its ‘I’ll-never-get-out-from-under-this-cloud’ sense of gloom. If you haven’t experienced it, you likely know others who have. The thing is, it feels as if it will never end,

Mid-winter Writing Blahs

My houseplants are looking a little leggy and droopy these days. It might be they’re experiencing the mid-winter blahs that many of us feel at this time of year… discouraged from putting out any effort because light levels are low and chilly air hovers just beyond the window. Maybe they need repotting in new soil