Posts by Kate
my new best friend
We went up to my mom’s cabin in Northern Minnesota last weekend, and I took fifteen books with me because my summer Motherhood & Words class starts next week, and I was trying to finalize my reading list. Of course, it’s not humanly possible (if you read as slowly as I do) to get through…
Read Morethe power of a carol — mothertalk blog bonanza: parenting beyond belief
Today’s MotherTalk blog bonanza is inspired by the new book, Parenting Beyond Belief: On Raising Ethical, Caring Kids Without Religion by Dale McGowan. I wasn’t sure if I really wanted to post today because my struggle with faith is one of the main narrative threads of my book, and I’ve been mulling that thread for…
Read Morewhat a few stitches can do
How annoyingly ironic it was to spend the evening in the emergency room mere hours after posting about my dare-devil girl and my I’m-so-proud-of-myself lack of hovering. I mean, really? This is what happened: I was in the kitchen washing dishes. Stella and D. were in the other room playing “scary monster,” which ranks second…
Read Moreher turn to climb – mothertalk blog bonanza: dangerous boy friday
Today’s mothertalk blog bonanza is inspired by The Dangerous Book for Boys, in which Conn and Hal Iggulden lament over the loss of more carefree childhoods, and outline ways to bring the fun and adventure back into boyhood. Now, I am not a boy, I don’t have a boy, and the brothers Iggulden are obviously…
Read Morewillow room
This morning I woke slowly, to the sound of birds and wind in the trees. D. and Stella brought me breakfast in bed, one of my favorite things. I held Stella in my lap as we waited for her new clothes to come out of the drier. A bowl of oranges in her hand, she…
Read Morethe hearts of birds
On Monday night, I was one of 1300 people at the Mary Oliver reading at Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis. In the sanctuary, we were seated shoulder to shoulder. Two other rooms (also packed) piped Oliver in via video feed. Seriously, 1300 people paid to see a poet read her work. I kept saying to…
Read Morethinking bloggers
Okay, here it goes. This was very difficult for me because I’ve discovered so many wonderful blogs in the last few months. Thank you, again, to Emmie for nominating me. I didn’t nominate her back only because I wasn’t sure if that was against the rules. (Otherwise I would have.) Some of these blogs have…
Read Moreawake and thinking
This morning, I woke up at 1:45 a.m. when my darling girl yelled from her room: “Mama, I had a nightmare. Lie with me. Lie with me, mama.” Now that Stella is no longer allowed to sleep in our bed, this is a frequently heard phrase in our house (and it is never ignored, which…
Read Morerunning out of fear – mothertalk blog bonanza: fearless friday
Sometimes, it feels as if I am hardwired for fear. When I start awake in the middle of the night, every slammed car door or clanking muffler or raised voice on the street is full of portent. I jump from bed, heart pounding, and pull aside the curtains, just a little. I scan the street,…
Read Morehave you hugged your hygienist today?
Yesterday afternoon Stella and I went to the dentist. Earlier in the morning, as Stella was getting dressed she said, “Mom, I don’t need to sit on your lap today.” “Oh?” I said, not really knowing what she meant. “At the dentist,” she said, exasperated. (How a 3 1/2 year-old can be so exasperated with…
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