Category Archives: home

Hostess

Posted on November 21, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Scene: Thanksgiving Day. T minus 30 minutes. The bronzed bird is resting on the counter, but you need the drippings to make the gravy. The potatoes are boiling furiously, and you are waiting to drain some of that starchy cooking … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Education, Entertainment, Family, Food, Home | Tagged , , | 90 Comments

Buddy

Posted on August 18, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Just when we’d given up on pet adoption, this little guy arrived at a local shelter. Meet Buddy, a 3 year old terrier mix who rescued us back in April. He is, for sure, a very special new “laptop”. ***************************************** … Continue reading →

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Driving Lessons

Posted on July 28, 2017 by vanbytheriver

I wrecked the family car when I was 16 years old, just a few months after getting my first driver’s license. It was a 1960’s version of the “Woodie”, a beautiful and massive Ford station wagon with wood panel trim, … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Education, Entertainment, Family, Home, News, Technology, Travel | Tagged , , , | 74 Comments

When Doves Cry

Posted on March 20, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Heading out on the first day of Spring, I came upon a pair of birds at an intersection near home. They would not budge. They almost stared into my windshield as I approached. I ended up going around them. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Family, Home, Music, Nature, News, Photography | Tagged , , | 100 Comments

Cardio

Posted on March 15, 2017 by vanbytheriver

So you have been walking for decades, convinced that you have good cardiovascular health, and then it happens. A winter storm dumps more than a foot of heavy, wet snow on your space. It started white and fluffy, turned into … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Entertainment, Exercise, Family, Home, Nature, News, Photography, Technology | Tagged , , | 64 Comments

Bed Bath Beyond

Posted on February 16, 2017 by vanbytheriver

What are European Shams and why do we need them ? It was a simple question that I could not answer. When did bedding become so complicated ? I grew up with chenille, and a down-filled feather bed. My first … Continue reading →

Posted in Beauty, Education, Entertainment, Family, Home, News | Tagged , | 76 Comments

Youth Dew

Posted on January 14, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Every few years, I go in search of a new fragrance, spraying scents onto those little cardboard squares provided by department stores. This year was no different. I kept coming back to a classic, one that I wore in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Books, Entertainment, Family, Fashion, Home | Tagged , , , , , , | 76 Comments

A Better Mousetrap

Posted on January 10, 2017 by vanbytheriver

There were 4 mousetraps set. One was missing. Mission accomplished ? Five hours later, he emerged from under a storage box in the basement. He was still alive, neck was partially trapped, he was dragging it around. It was my … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Entertainment, Family, Food, Home, Humor, Inspiration, Movies, Nature, Photography, Technology | Tagged , , , | 79 Comments

Artichoke

Posted on January 4, 2017 by vanbytheriver

My first encounter with this complicated vegetable came well into my 20’s. Ours was a basic peas, carrots, corn kind of family. It was at a small roadside restaurant called “Spuds” in Salt Lake City, Utah. Its success came with … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Entertainment, Family, Food, Home, Photography, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 95 Comments

Crutches

Posted on December 1, 2016 by vanbytheriver

Black Friday shopping on crutches. It will change your perspective about humanity. It was over a decade ago, but it left an impression. After a freak accident in early November, I was sporting a leg boot, trying to heal a … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, Family, Finance, Home, Humor, News, Sports, Travel | Tagged , , , , | 68 Comments