Illustration from Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘The Scarlet Letter’ (James R. Osgood and Company, 1878), courtesy of commons.wikimedia.org Have you ever met someone who seemed to accept everyone just as they are? Have you ever felt that way yourself? When I read the Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, I found this acceptance in the main character, Hester […]
New Year, New Books
There is a certain joy that comes from a pile of new books waiting to be read, especially going into the new year. Whether they are on the shelf at a library or bookstore or sitting on the shelf at home, a book holds a promise of adventures to come. We are not always only […]
Traditions and Monkey Bread
As the day fades into the night on Christmas Eve, flour and laughter fills the kitchen. Hands reach over hands, kneading the soft dough, then rolling, rolling, rolling into balls for the next day. Raisins and sugar come next, and we nestle the balls, covered in the sugar, to rise for the night. The next […]
