Family – West Seventh Freelance

Remembering Our Fathers

Kath and I both lost our fathers many years ago. We think of them most every day, but especially today, a lovely cool day in June. We are in the garden; a space we both learned about and grew to love because of our Dads. Thank you. Miss you.

Thoughts for WP Friends

On this day of remembrance for MLK, our thoughts are also with our far flung WP friends who grieve a loss. We sit quietly, thinking of separate grief, and desperately hope for peace in the days ahead.

Remembering Dad through Food and Letters PART 1: Blueberry Muffins

My current research and writing project is a continuation of something started a number of years ago— transcribing letters Dad sent home to his family during WWII and capturing my own memories of summers spent in the Adirondack Mountains. An aspect of this relates to food— snippets Dad wrote about and things I recall asContinueContinue reading “Remembering Dad through Food and Letters PART 1: Blueberry Muffins”

Meet Russell

One of the joys of family get-togethers is meeting new members of the clan. 🙂 Russell was part of a weekend gathering at Matthews Lake in Wisconsin, hitching a ride with his Mom and Dad, Tanya and Corey.

Aunt Norma

My Aunt Norma died last week. She was my Dad’s youngest sister and the last living sibling at 92. Norma brought out the best in people. One of my cousins remarked on this. It was definitely true regarding my father, her big brother, who could be crabby, gruff, silent…you name it. Norma managed to smoothContinueContinue reading “Aunt Norma”

Then and Now

It is graduation season and Father’s Day is just around the corner. It is also time to take a moment to celebrate old friends. I met up with a dear friend of 40 years to spend a few hours chatting while the Mississippi River- still overflowing the banks- rolled on by. Today, our nephew DavidContinueContinue reading “Then and Now”

Scanning the past

With the help of an Epson scanner, I am starting to sort through photos from the 1940’s and slides and photos from the 1960’s through the 70’s. Regrettably, the slides were kept in less than optimal conditions but it is a worthy challenge :). 1948- My brother Mark, sister Ginny, mother, Florence, and Grandma RubyContinueContinue reading “Scanning the past”

Baking!

Baking is such fun! Thanksgiving was an opportunity to make Amish Dinner Rolls from the King Arthur Flour website. Today I made Light Spice Holiday Cookies (also from King Arthur Flour recipes) and hunted down the Christmas cookie cutters…and a few other shapes 🙂 In a recent conversation with my niece I shared some ideas for giftsContinueContinue reading “Baking!”

Re-purposing Memories and Giving Thanks

My dad was a wonderful wood worker and all of us kids have several of his pieces. One of mine was a four poster bed that he built from cherry wood when I was about 12 years old. Over the years the bed moved from my childhood home in Upstate NY to RI, then MIContinueContinue reading “Re-purposing Memories and Giving Thanks”