The Gift Wrap and the Jewel

This poem written by Wanda B. Goines, age 92, appeared in Wellness magazine, October 13, 2015 in an article by Claire Peltier. Kathryn Clausnitzer Wilson, Goines’ caregiver uploaded a video of Goines reciting the poem to Facebook. I looked in the mirror and what did I see, But a little old lady (man) peering back…

Read More

Remembrances from the Farm

  Back Row: Jesse & Roy, Roy, Edwin, Walt, Etta, Lily; Middle Row: Ruth, Elizabeth, Edwin, Peggy; Seated Harry (Grampie) & Rose (Grammie); Front: Rosemary, Barbara, Jean and Buster, the dog. We talk of our annual pilgrimages to the farm. There was a myriad of life-enriching and happy times, some of which I’ve jotted below in…

Read More

The Bathtub Explosion

One of the memorable clients at Twin Pines Psychiatric Hospital was Dave, a gentleman who worked for a company who manufactures surgical instruments. He was a brilliant man with ideas way ahead of his time though he was diagnosed with Bipolar illness. In the “high” periods of his illness he presented the company with rather…

Read More

A Septuagenarian’s Grand Canyon Adventure

It all began in October of 2004, when I watched my daughter in-law, Sylvie (Kiki) Drimmel, complete the Susan G Komen breast cancer walk 1 was inspired beyond words as I witnessed Kiki and the many thousands of other walkers head for the home stretch. At the closing ceremonies I told Kiki I wanted to…

Read More

Deep Roots, Out Where the Sage Grows So Tall

Out where the sage grows so tall, You can scarcely see the herds of cattle at all. Out where the sun set is so red, There’s where the jack rabbits were plenty, And the fluffy little cottontails were many. The Big Muddy Creek where many trout were found, And the little gray squirrels ran all…

Read More