The Good Stuff

My sweet daddy, at eighty-nine, had a health episode at church this past Sunday that caused my Mom and my brothers to insist on a trip to the ER (in Amarillo no less, 110 miles away). The attending doc pronounced that maybe he had a heart attack, maybe not, that his heart rate was fluctuating between 38 beats and 90 beats. My parents chose to forego a night in the hospital and further tests

Double-Wides, or Finding Happiness New Mexico Style

So would my Beatles posters fit in should I ever move into an upscale Santa Fe home? Would I be required to change my art choices? Along with my Beatles poster, I have a papier mache chess set from Mexico and a funky framed vintage tea towel depicting the state of New Mexico in the 50’s. And a lot of other stuff that is very definitely mine. Stuff most folks might find too goofy.

Wild Turkey Morning at Heron Lake

I stood at the window and watched a wild turkey parade go by this morning, across the driveway and up the hill into the pinons. One, two, three, four, five, six, eight, ten, twelve, and finally fourteen if I counted correctly. They are so goofy and regal at the same time, scurrying and bobbing their ugly heads as if they don’t know how unattractive they are, holding themselves very erect. At that moment they unquestionably owned that spot of ground on which they stand.

Breaking the Mold and Being Grateful for Your Story: Tiffany Dowell-Lashmet

You might not know this (or maybe you’re already a huge fan) but I recently started my own podcast called Lifesaving gratitude. I named the podcast after my (also recently published) memoir Lifesaving Gratitude: How Gratitude Helped Me Beat Stage IV Cancer. You can find it wherever you listen to podcasts, but if you’re new to podcasts, check the links I’ve provided at the bottom of this post to find it.

World War II Hero – Kike Waltmon

Webster‘s dictionary defines a hero as a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. We all live our entire lives in the midst of quiet heroes – the guy next door, the lady in the post office. People of exceptional courage who risked their lives for noble causes move through our lives without recognition, and frequently their great deeds go unsung by personal choice.