Edith Wharton had a vivid imagination. As a child, she loved to play a game she called “Making up” which involved inventing stories as, book in hand, she walked around feverishly chanting as if in a trance. This caused her parents much consternation. When friends came to play, she asked her mother to entertain them … More Edith’s Vivid Imagination
We’ve had a busy few days up in the Berkshires, mixing book business with fun. Our primary purpose was to check with the places carrying my children’s books to see if they needed more copies. And on Tuesday, I was scheduled to read with families at The Mount, home of the writer Edith Wharton. (But … More I Visited Utopia Today
The month of April was one of the best ever. Charley decided that since it was my Birthday, I should have an entire Birthday Month. Now, I’m not big on cards and gifts and parties. I’m extremely pragmatic and he is well-aware of this. When he asked me to marry him, he wanted to buy … More Lovely April
I’ve been informed by WordPress that it is the two-year anniversary of my blog Around ZuZu’s Barn and it brought back many memories from the early days when I was even more clueless about this social media stuff than I am today. If it wasn’t for my Rhode Island friends, Rob Bentley and Peg Goter, … More Anniversaries and Friends
Last Wednesday was unseasonably warm. Since it’s February in New England, it should be extremely cold. But that day it reached 65 Fahrenheit (18.3 degrees Celsius). It looked, smelled and felt more like a lovely, late spring day. Some friends and I decided to take advantage of the break in winter and go to the … More “Just Wait a Few Minutes!”
I’m a klutz. I tend to trip and stumble and drop things on a regular basis. The closer to the ground I am, the safer I’ll stay. I guess it’s because my thoughts are always racing and my body just can’t keep pace? When I find myself in a gift shop or museum surrounded by … More Living in a Glass Menagerie
It’s me, Roxie. I’ve been left at home on Christmas Eve while the folks are out gallivanting. Lord knows where? Probably following the star to Bethlehem or Las Vegas. Once again, I’m stuck here with ZuZu, the most boring cat in the world. She’s lying around while I’m watching the house. It’s almost Christmas and so far, … More Roxie’s Christmas Eve
Norman Rockwell was one of America’s foremost artist illustrators. He once commented on not having an idyllic life and how this affected his work. “Maybe as I grew up and found the world wasn’t the perfect place I had thought it to be, I unconsciously decided that if it wasn’t an ideal world, it should … More An Old-Fashioned Christmas
Mostly true story: Charley and I were sitting in a Dunkin’ Donuts last week and a horse walks up to the Drive-up Window. The waitress looks out, surprised to see him standing there and exclaims, “Hey!” He says, “Yes, please, and could you throw in some extra ketchup?” (Now, I’ll bet you thought she was … More Fall in South County
Annette Snyder, 50 Authors from 50 States, gives writers a chance to showcase their states on her blog – and it’s Rhode Island’s turn at the end of September. You can find this post on her site and write a comment for the chance to win a collection of RI note cards, illustrated with photographs … More A Little Bit About Southern Rhode Island
Today, August 20th, Charley and I are celebrating our Wedding Anniversary. He’s gone grocery shopping because he’s planning to make me my favorite meal; the first one he ever cooked for me when we were first dating – blue cheese asparagus chicken with rice and an angel food cake with chocolate frosting for dessert. Tonight … More On Anniversaries and Other Life Adventures
Charley and I spent the last few days in the Berkshires marketing my latest book, The Pacas Are Coming! ZuZu and the Crias and delivering more copies of A Berkshire Tale to the vendors. The Berkshire Botanical Garden is one of those lovely places which carries my books and it is the setting in A Berkshire Tale for the … More Daylilies
Around ZuZu's Barn 