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Winter Beauty
Here in the Midwest, it’s been cold–sometimes too cold to spend much time outside. On days the mercury climbs above single digits Fahrenheit, I make it a point to get some fresh air and to look for the beauty of the season. I explore the neighborhood park… …and go to the Mississippi River […]
Black & White Challenge
A friend of mine issued a challenge to me on Facebook: to post black and white photos for 7 days in a row, with no images of people and no explanations. I was extremely busy at the time, but accepted the challenge and had a lot of fun posting the images to Instagram and […]
Crows and Bears
March is the Crow Moon. My monthly moon poem for March is finished. This time also coincides with a request for a linoleum-block image of a crow, so I had a bit of inky fun this weekend. I also had a request to make a lino-cut image of a bear; apropos, I think, as […]
Orphan Orchids
I found these orchids on the clearance shelf at Lowe’s. With a few good soaks and some orchid food, they have new leaves and air roots. Hoping for flowers on these phalaenopses. While in my windowsill Narcissus forced to their papery white conclusion because I cannot wait. Happy Spring! ( Narcissus excerpt from my […]
PechaKucha at the Figge
This past Thursday was PechaKucha Night at the Figge Art Museum. What is PechaKucha?PechaKucha or Pecha Kucha is the Japanese word meaning “chit chat.” It is a “20 x 20” format: twenty slides with twenty seconds each slide; each presenter has a total of six minutes, forty second each presentation. The inaugural Pecha Kucha Night was […]
Get Lost: Collage by Amber Williams
When you go see the current art show at Rozz-Tox, remember to look up. Like a Greek architectural frieze, there are larger works above the smaller paintings hung at eye level. Amber Williams and Andy Finkle’s show, “Get Lost” is aptly named: it’s easy to get lost in the layers of decoupaged collages and eye-catching […]
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
NESTLING Small bird heart races as you Chip away towards the light. No one can help you be born— Too soon and you will not survive. It will take its right time. When you emerge, You find your flock awaiting— Arms, like tree branches, That were there always— Strong, enfolding, protecting, To support you And […]
Local Lovers at Rozz-Tox
Last Thursday was the Local Lovers open mic night at Rozz-Tox in Rock Island, Illinois. Rozz-Tox is a funky jewel of a place– a cafe and bar–a place you can get pu-erh tea or Ovaltine, sake or lingonberry juice, kimchi or a red velvet cupcake. It’s a great place to see live music, but […]
The Genesius Guild
I attended a double-header performance of Greek tragedies on Sunday evening. It was my first experience of a Genesius Guild performance. The wind was rustling through the crowns of mature trees at Lincoln Park, in Rock Island, Illinois. Revelers nearby lit the occasional firecracker, getting ready for the Fourth of July, and birds sang in […]
Kevin Young: Poetry and Anatomical Gifts
Photo of my father on his honeymoon. *** Radio interruptus: I started to listen to Terry Gross interview Kevin Young on Fresh Air last month. My listening was interrupted by a call from my aunt and I just now finished listening to this radio piece. This interview combines two of my passions: poetry and the […]
Therese: the World is my Atelier 
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