I am caught in the in-between times; the ‘bloom on the rose’ faded long ago, at 58 the passing of years leaving me not yet OLD-old, but heading in that direction with unnerving speed. My mother was right as she just about always was; time flies by so quickly. I still remember her standing in … More The In-Between
Miraculously, Dan and I were able to grab a very short trip to our favorite place in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina in Bryson City, literally at the last second as the new semester begins. We’ve not been able to make our annual anniversary trip thanks to the pandemic, but no matter- we … More Mountain Medicine
Part of me was incredibly hopeful and excited to hear the words, “we are almost to the end of the pandemic,” as the announcement about masks from the CDC came out recently. But, the largest part of me froze in a huge earthquake of anxiety. Make no mistake; I am thrilled to move toward the … More Expanding and Contracting
This was an interesting week as I returned to campus to teach my students. With a month left of classes and juries (final playing exams for music students) and exams, I knew that my students needed more than perhaps I could give them over Zoom. Please don’t misunderstand; I am grateful to have been able … More Up the Down Staircase
For those of you who know me, you’ll know that blue fingernail polish is pretty radical for my natural girl self (okay also MATURE girl self…at least most of the time). The reasons are many and have nothing to do with me not appreciating color. I am a clarinetist and I don’t like when nail … More On Blue Nails and Pandemics
My writing muscle has refused to flex for the last couple of weeks. I feel spurts of inspiration while I’m walking Marley in the morning, but by the time we get home where I could get things down, either my ideas become ghosts, indistinct and fleeting, or I am rushing to get ready for a … More On Zooming through Life
I’ve been thinking a lot about anchors during my morning walks around the neighborhood with Marley. For some reason lately, the word and its many connotations in my life keep bubbling to the surface with the contemplative repetition of our rhythmic walking. Anchors can certainly have a negative connotation; possibly things that weigh us down … More Anchors
Yesterday was a milestone in my health journey; one year to the day since I began following an intermittent fasting lifestyle, along with changes to my diet and exercise regime. What a difference a year makes! I am down almost fifty pounds and at fifty-seven (almost fifty-eight), I feel strong and fit again after struggling … More One Day or Day One?
It doesn’t seem possible, but we have finally reached Thanksgiving break after one of the strangest semesters in my thirty-four year teaching career. It’s strange to realize that I’m more exhausted that I typically am during a normal semester when I’m constantly on the go performing and teaching instead of teaching partially online in the … More On Refilling Empty Cups
On this beautiful fall morning, my precious dog at my side, the world is reduced to the crunching of leaves underfoot and Marley’s gentle, rhythmic, panting as we walk the cracked sidewalks of our old Southside Birmingham neighborhood. Every morning, this is the start of my day (typically along with a side of kickboxing), and … More On Walking and Riding Meditations
The View from Here 