Dog Drama
Yesterday, with the help of my son-in-law, Jeremy, I took my dogs to the vet. Mowgli had some skin problems and both he and Tule needed their nails trimmed. We pulled up in front of the clinic and we were juggling the dogs, both of whom were excited. They love going somewhere—anywhere—and Mowgli nearly tipped…
Land That I Love…
Last weekend was our country’s 250th year as an independent nation. What a history we have. Today and every day, I am grateful for and to the men and women who have fought so hard to protect our freedom. Whenever I encounter a soldier, I thank him or her for their service. If I know…
A Busy Week
This past week was crazy-busy, and although I enjoyed a lot of it, it really wore me out. The highpoint was my daughter Wendy’s participation in an improv event, held in a local theatre. Although Wendy is a writer, she has always had a talent for singing and acting, and the two arts seem to…
Honor Above All
This past Friday, I had the privilege of visiting the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, thanks to my son-in-law, Jeremy, who had driven me to an appointment in La Jolla. After the appointment, on the way back to San Diego, Jeremy pointed out the giant white cross rising against an incredibly blue California sky and…
Making Time for Art
It goes without saying that I love writing novels and short stories, but arts and crafts are stress relievers for me. As I’ve mentioned before, I do artist trading cards these days, a hobby I recently resumed after a long interval. I’m learning to edit photos on my computer, and I’ve begun adding them to…
United We Stand
As we approach Independence Day, and our 250th anniversary as a nation I am very grateful to be born and raised in America. At the moment however, I’m concerned, as are many others I know, by the division we’re experiencing these days. We need to remember that we are the UNITED States, not the DIVIDED…
My Dad
My father, Grady “Skip” Lael, was a town marshal, as some of you know, and a good one. June is, of course, the month in which we celebrate Father’s Day. It is also my birthday month—Dad and I were both born on the tenth. This year, he would have been 100 years old. I will…
California Skies
I’ve always loved looking at the sky. And while I was still living in the country outside Spokane, Washington, I developed a habit of taking pictures. Sunsets, sunrises, storms, clouds in the most amazing shapes and shades. If you have any doubt that God is the Ultimate Artist, go outside and look up. Now that…
Speaking of Michael Landon…
The first time I caught a glimpse of Little Joe Cartwright, in the western TV series, “Bonanza”, he became my all-time favorite actor. The youngest of three brothers, he lived on a huge ranch near Virginia City, Nevada called the Ponderosa. I was about nine years old, and at the time, the series ran on…
Mother’s Day
Earlier this week, Sunday, May 10, 2026, was Mother’s Day, and I hope you all had a wonderful time, whether you’re a mother, a daughter, or both. Thanks to my daughter, Wendy, and son-in-law, Jeremy, I had a marvelous day. They brought a beautiful bouquet of roses and a variety of complementary blossoms, and took…