Writing

Beyond Nashville's busy streets, Leiper's Fork offers laid-back charm with live music at Fox and Locke, pulled pork sandwiches, and sweet tea on the patio. It's a place where new talent shares the stage with seasoned musicians, without the bachelor party chaos of Broadway.

Originally published in MinnPost’s Cabin Blogger section, this reflective piece blends personal storytelling, pop culture, and questions of integrity and forgiveness during the holiday season.

A personal reflection on grief, survival, and showing up for others in a volunteer space serving unhoused people. This piece explores what it means to stay present with someone else’s pain.

A reflection on introversion, connection, and the different ways people recover energy. Set at a quiet cabin, the piece weaves together fire-building, personality types, and the gentle tension between solitude and togetherness.

We are living at half-mast.

From sea to raging sea,

we’re at half-mast.

A winter journey through Dresden and Prague reveals Christmas markets, historic concerts and local traditions beyond the tourist season. This piece shares practical insights on experiencing these cities when cobblestone streets glisten with snow and baroque cathedrals come alive with music, all while keeping costs surprisingly reasonable.

A story about Joanne’s father, a lifelong musician, and how his music—and audience—kept him going after a stroke. It’s a reflection on end-of-life decisions, joy, and finding meaning through music.

A reflection on resilience drawn from a day at a community center, where need is constant and compassion shows up in small, determined ways. The piece moves through acts of generosity, grief, and connection that quietly resist despair.

A look back on the scary warnings and nursery rhymes we pass down to children, from witches at midnight to turning into salt. This piece explores how these cautionary tales shape our relationships with risk and regret.

They say, eight hugs

Or the equivalent – what would that be?

Like a multivitamin, daily potassium, D3, a set amount.