Did I deliberately set out to write my own version of pioneers and aliens? No, not exactly, although I can tell you I have read and reread every Louis L’Amour I ever had my hands on and many other westerns besides. I grew up tent camping, roughing it, and finding it fun to leave behind the trappings of civilization. My husband and I enjoyed going out beyond most human contact…

It is all about the hat, today. We decided to take poor Jethro on a picnic. All his doggy life he has loved going out and picnicking whether we made a fire or not, but with his skin bursting open, half his hair falling out, fighting infection and generally being uncomfortable, he has not had much chance to go anywhere fun. We felt sorry for him. So Shawn and I…

Have you noticed how slowly time moves while you are sitting at a red light, waiting for the microwave, or staring blankly at the coffee pot waiting for that first cup that starts your brain in the morning? Time moves at a crawl while waiting for good news or bad from the doctor, while hoping to hear from an application or contest, and it moves even slower while waiting in…