A respite from the phone screen — For several years, I would pick my former foster daughter up from school every Thursday. As she’s gotten older, our schedule for spending time together has become more occasional. When I see her now, she often is absorbed in her phone, watching videos and texting with her friends. …

A poem from past travels — The city keeps the lawn mowed at the settlers cemetery, but the headstones are breaking and crumbling as we walk on neat brick paths the city also maintains and we don’t hold anyone responsible for the vaults falling in on themselves or the headstones sheared off at the ground so only a jagged…

Thank you for the vitamins! — I never even tried you until I was in my 30s. Somehow I hadn’t run into you in any of the gardens, restaurants, or grocery stores I’d known. I don’t think you were in the produce section of the stores I visited with my mom when I was growing up…

My small investment in the big world of gardening — The other day, Petco unexpectedly sent me a coupon for $15 off a $50 purchase, so I headed out to stock up on food for Mr. Cat. …

Some library books gave me the idea, too — When I was a kid, I had a Harvard University sweatshirt because I had this idea that I would go to Harvard and become a lawyer and then, ultimately Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Where do we get all of the different stories we tell ourselves? I can trace…

Reading about Mercedes’ life in Alaska and beyond — Have you ever wondered what it’s like to put up Christmas lights in a blizzard in Alaska? Mercedes O'Leary has shared this experience and many more in her Medium stories. Her work covers a variety of topics relevant to her life as a thoughtful individual and reflective parent and community…