Death first smacked me one day as I was walking to school. I was a Shirley Temple-type kid with blond banana curls and wide, innocent eyes. Back in the olden days, neighborhood children walked to school with not a responsible adult in sight. In fall, I shuffled through dried leaves piled up on sidewalks, picking … Read moreLessons from a Robin

I am a city slicker, raised in the suburbs of Boston, accustomed to the clatter of MBTA trains roaring into the station. As a child, I imagined train headlights to be dragon eyes gleaming out of the black tunnels dug below city streets. Little did I know that another spooky subterranean world lurked in my … Read moreIce Out!

Two-year old Jack splashed in the tub as his mother, Alice Kirke, washed his hair. With each rinse, tension began to build. Her husband, Kevin Kirke, was a Marine major who had been serving in Afghanistan. Kevin had not seen his son for one year, but now he was home, ready for that first night … Read moreThe Enchanted Hour

                         Freezing rain beat down on our windshield, clogging up the wipers, and sending me into the white-knuckle zone. I tried not to look at skims of black ice that coated the roads. Perhaps we should just check into the nearest hotel and not attend our grandson’s baptism. I suggested this to my husband, but … Read moreWas it a Miracle?

Twenty-seven years ago, my family moved from old Cape Cod to central Maine. As you can well imagine, it was quite a culture shock. Spring came to Cape Cod in March. We planted peas on St. Patrick’s Day and actually saw the phenomenon of green grass. Up north, March is often the snowiest month. Climate … Read moreThe Romance of Ice-Fishing