An Unsung Hero of my Own
This post originally aired as a commentary on Tri States Public Radio. To listen, go here. NPR has started airing a new series called My Unsung Hero. Produced by Hidden Brain Media, its mission is to provide an antidote to the despair brought on by the daily news, with the goal of renewing faith in […]
A Glimmer of Light to Keep Going
You can also listen to this story on Tri States Public Radio: https://www.tspr.org/post/commentary-glimmer-light A stray dog showed up on our farm a few weeks ago. At first, he only came around at night, lurking in the shadows as we sat around the fire pit after supper. He was tricolored and as tall and lanky as […]
Forget First or Second, I Am Third
(You can also listen to this on Tri States Public Radio) I hear myself saying a little too often these days that I’m glad I grew up when I did, before cell phones and selfies. Before the internet became a runaway train of disinformation. Before being famous was valued more than being a good person. […]
How to Help the World
Taking a walk on the wild side Yesterday morning I wrote in my journal that I want to do more to help the world, but that I don’t know where to start. The world is so desperately in need of help just thinking about it made me feel bad that I’m not doing more. The […]
Stay Calm and Bake Pie — Episode 7: A Celebration of YOUR Pies
Episode 7 of “Stay Calm and Bake Pie” is here. It may be my favorite one, because it’s a celebration of all the pies you’ve been making this month. After watching it, my friend Kee Kee (who you read more about below) texted me this: “When this pandemic started you told me you wanted to […]
Stay Calm and Bake Pie — Episode 3: Banana Cream Pie
My “Stay Calm and Bake Pie” series continues with episode 3, and my dad’s favorite pie: banana cream. A friend pointed out, “This is the first time I’ve heard your story where you didn’t talk about how your parents met.” That’s true. In fact, it’s a story that has become THE story of my pie […]
How I’m Dealing with the Pandemic (And Other Anxieties)
I want to get back to being a writer, to writing the book I started in early December, or to scrapping that and starting a new one, even just to blogging, but I’m too restless. Like most people, I am sitting in a prickly pear cactus field of fear and anxiety. With the world as […]
World Piece: A Humble, Homemade Film About Making Pie Around the World
During the summer of 2015, I traveled around the world making pie in 9 countries. At long last, I have gotten the story down, but not on paper as you would expect. Instead, I taught myself how to edit a film using iMovie. Forgive my amateur skills, but like I always say about making pie: […]
Make America Nice Again
This aired on Tri States Public Radio March 21, 2019 LISTEN HERE The 2020 presidential campaign has begun and with it the Democratic candidates are descending upon Iowa. Flying in from all parts of the country, they are bringing with them the promise of new ideas, new policies, and, god willing, a new administration. […]
Luke Perry, I Knew You When
Former “90210” Publicist Remembers the TV Star Luke Perry, aka Dylan McKay, in 1990 When I heard Luke Perry had had a stroke, I expected him to live. That’s because a friend of mine recently had a stroke, his second one, at age 56 and he is recovering. My friend, like Luke, is fit and […]