Where I'm published
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Emotional baggage or timeless treasure?
“If a gift has come to you wrapped in obligations and tied tightly with a ribbon of guilt, then it’s not really a gift at all.” ~Peter Walsh, professional organizer Organizing an estate sale is probably one of the toughest things we have to do after our parents die. If your folks collected as many family heirlooms as mine did, you’ll face the emotionally loaded task of deciding which items to keep and which ones to sell or give away. And what happens when your grown kids don’t want to inherit the family treasures? For starters, it helps to learn and understand the generational differences in what we value. My…
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Zen and the art of gardening
—Titled “The Art of Midlife Gardening,” this essay was originally published in Victoria magazine. Last spring, members of our local Master Gardener Society invited me to speak at one of their meetings. I was honored, at first, but as soon as the date of the talk rolled around, I started getting nervous. And with good reason. Master Gardeners aren’t just fooling around with bulbs and blossoms. These folks earn a minimum of 40 hours of instruction in horticulture science. Meeting for at least 11 weeks, they take classes in caring for indoor and outdoor plants, establishing lawns, growing vegetables and fruit trees, designing gardens, and more. I bow to their…
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- Oakland Press columns, The Oakland Press, Tips for caregivers of parents with dementia, Where I'm published
NEW article: “Ten tips for caregivers”
“Caregiving is a marathon and not a sprint. Equipping yourself for the long haul is essential. You shouldn’t walk the caregiving journey alone.” ~ Lisa Mayfield Doug and I could share dozens of sad stories about losing a parent to a progressive memory loss disease. While his father and my mother each struggled with a different type of dementia, we know how painful it can be to face changes in your relationship with a beloved elderly parent — and to make difficult lifestyle decisions on their behalf. Ever since my mom died, it’s been one of my missions to share my caregiving experiences — things I learned the hard way…
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Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park: “Uncovering Serenity”
My love affair with Japanese gardens began many years ago when I was a student at Cranbrook Summer Theater School in Bloomfield Hills. Later, when I had a home of my own, I created a small Japanese garden in a corner of our back yard. When the editor of Michigan Blue asked me to write a feature story about the newly installed Japanese Garden at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids, Michigan, I jumped at the chance. This magnificent eight-acre landscape is a work of art — and well worth a visit. You can read my feature here, in the “Travel & Adventure” issue of Michigan…
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Memoir Writing for Mental Health
“Each of us is a book waiting to be written, and that book, if written, results in a person explained.” ~Thomas M. Cirignano If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of writing a memoir, now is the ideal time to gather your journals, photos, and memories — and get started. Did you know that writing about your experiences can boost your mental health? I’ve always believed in the healing power of writing about our lives — and one of my missions is to encourage others to write their stories. To learn more, please look for my new feature story in the “Things to Do” section of today’s Oakland Press. To…
