Due to health reasons, I’ve followed a gluten-free diet for nearly eight years. During this time I’ve reworked most of my favorite recipes and discovered a bunch of new ones. Although my favorite gluten-free recipes are those that never had gluten-containing grains in the first place (e.g., chili, stir-fry over rice, etc.) or that merely… Read More The Best Gluten Free Cookies You’ll Ever Eat
Dear friends. It’s been over four years since I’ve posted. I haven’t forgotten about you or about my writing, but some things happened and life got in the way. At the time of my last post back in February of 2016, I was working on the rough draft of my third novel, “Confessions of a… Read More A New Beginning
With both the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries behind us, both the Democrats and the Republicans are well on their way to picking the final candidates for the 2016 presidential race. Unfortunately, the next nine months are sure to be grim, with plenty of mudslinging, name-calling, dirty secrets, and general nastiness on the part of… Read More High Hopes
Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot. But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did NOT! —Dr. Suess, How the Grinch Stole Christmas As a kid, I loved Dr. Suess’ story about the angry recluse who spied on the citizens of Whoville from his home on top of a mountain. As… Read More Grinchy Musings
I don’t do this very often, so please allow me a moment to bask in my own glory. I survived NaNoWriMo 2015! In other words, I wrote nearly an entire rough draft of a novel in thirty days. This makes me, if not an official winner, pretty darn close. For those of you who don’t… Read More NANOWRIMO
The Swetsville Zoo. If you’re passing through Fort Collins, be sure to check out this zoo made from farm implements, scrap metal, and old car parts. Marvin and I discovered this sculpture garden when our kids were little and revisit it every so often when we have out of town guests to entertain. Highlights include… Read More Three Weird Things to Brighten Your October
Labor Day. The official end of summer and, according to women of my grandmother’s generation, the last day you could wear white shoes during the year (unless you were a nurse or wished to be considered tacky). I love to hike, and there’s nothing I like better than hoofing it through the Rockies on a… Read More Labor Day Movie Marathon
It’s been six weeks since the much-hyped release of Harper Lee’s second book, Go Set a Watchman. I pre-ordered the novel months in advance and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, and I’ve longed for a sequel since I first read it at… Read More Go Set a Watchman Review
My love affair with literature started early. Both my parents loved reading, so it was natural they would pass their enthusiasm along to me. According to family lore, they read to me from the time they brought me home from the hospital, long before I actually understood what was being said. As a result, I… Read More Blame it on the Books
“Gimme a head with hair, long beautiful hair Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen, waxen Gimme down to there, hair, shoulder length or longer . . .” The song from the musical Hair’s been going through my brain all day, probably because I’m having, if not exactly a bad hair day, a seriously mediocre one. I’ve never… Read More Hair
Leah Darling 