The Social Porcupine

Because Earth is currently impaired, I clean houses only about one or two days a week rather than my normal full five-plus ten-hour days. One such day, I returned home after cleaning three houses and collapsed on the couch.  "You busy tomorrow?" My dad asked.  "I have one house, but I can move it around. What's up?" "I'm organizing a protest in town. The Health Department is trying to pass a mandatory face-mask law, and you can get a misdemeanor for not complying." I postponed my house for the following day, woke at 5am on May 28th, then drove myself and some of my siblings to join our dad at the courthouse. Now, this might surprise some of you, but I don't really like protests. I have to be really feeling it to participate. Like, it has to be for an extremely good cause. I've yet to attend a protest that I felt I could put all my passion in. So, I let my dad and siblings hold signs and shout, and I went in to see if I could get into the ac...

Siblings and I, pushing even our shadows into a future we wish to live in I haven't been purposely silent on the coronavirus. Though, in all honesty, I've actually been quite loud about my opinions. For some reason, they just haven't made it to my blog ... until now. At first, I laughed. It's not that I never believed what was happening ... I just never expected the paranoia to actually become so organized. Even up unto my last days in Germany, it was just a joke. I had bigger stresses, and the virus was amusing. But then ... the borders were closed two days before I flew home and it dawned on me.  This wasn't just any normal virus. People were freaking, and it was going to affect me in ways I didn't like at all. I made it home ... but the home wasn't as I'd left it. My own family were still sensible, as were many of my friends. But, oh, the fear in America was toxic and heavy. My cleaning business pretty much died. I received many messages a...

I've been obsessed with tye dye for a while, but sadly haven't had much opportunity to actually learn/ dedicate much time to learning how to do it much myself. I did try  ice dying  once and while I really loved that, it only made me more appreciate the art of tye dying. When I volunteered at Above Rubies several years ago, I met this wonderful, fun person called Tye Dye Mary. I loved sitting with her at social events and parties, or helping her with her packages when she dropped them off at the office I worked at. She was just so much fun and has such a colorful, vibrant personality that totally suits her career ... tye dying. I think it's because of her that I love tye dye so much and would love to someday learn how to do it.  And it's because of her that I'm willing to trade an arm and leg in order to own a few of her lovely pieces ...  I love this dress. It's nearly perfect for hiking ... I just wish it was about three to five inches longer...

Selfie at the Norris cemetery... I went to look for inspiration for last names. And... found one for the "bad guys" ;D  When I was in my early teens my mom hired an Amish friend, Rebecca Yoder, to teach us. We would walk, ride our bikes, or drive a pony cart a couple miles to a small mobile home where we had school. Though there were only about seven of us we had a name for our school . . .  Acorn Melody. It was an experience, to be sure. We were used to homeschooling. All at once we had a strict schedule, sat at desks, and had specific lessons and assignments. I loved going to school and I loved our teacher. I loved learning. And I loved reading so many interesting Amish books! I only attended one year as I graduated eighth grade, but it is a year in which I will always look back in with fondness. Though I loved school, I didn't enjoy all of my subjects equally. I've never liked spelling much... probably because I wasn't very good at it. But there was...

Hello, Life The mystery was over, but all the Lawrences' problems were not. The very next day, during lunch, Lucy heard a wagon. Immediately her heart jumped with fear. The children were at school (or should be). Vern was in the mines. It wasn't time for Tom and Mary to bring milk – why would anybody be coming? Lucy searched the room for Julie. Her little sister was sitting by the fireplace playing with the rag doll they had found in the mine's secret room. Lucy wiped her hands on her apron and walked to the door, trying to calm her fear. She didn't recognize the small buggy. But when it drew even closer she knew them to be some of the women from church. Lucy drew in a quick and painful breath. This could not be good – and she was all alone. There was no possible way she could go get Vern. “Hello, Lucy!” One of the women in the buggy waved. Lucy recognized the woman to be Delta, a well known lady from the church whose husband had recently retire...