Wildflower Writes

  Photo by Dennis Buchner on Unsplash Yesterday, I took a walk through the park and was amazed at the beauty of ice and snow-covered trees. It was like a picture postcard, white frosted branches against a gray sky, alongside a fast-moving river, with a few Canadian geese to keep me company. This morning as I lay snuggled in bed and heard the microwave let out a death beep and saw everything go dark, the snow and ice seemed less romantic. A glance out the window confirmed that my building and at least a few surrounding blocks were out of power. Yet, when I rode down a tree-lined street past a wooded property on my way to church, I couldn’t help but feel the same sense of wonder and admiration at the scenery. It was breathtaking. The same storm that caused downed power lines and fallen trees and icy roads created beauty unmatched by anything humanly designed or created. The inconvenience and hardship of no electricity didn’t diminish the goodness that I recognized the day befo...

Continued from 5/8 post… Wendy ate her breakfast. She didn’t realize she was so hungry. When had she eaten last? She grabbed the remote and turned on the TV, flipping the channels to Tom and Jerry. For a moment, lost in the silliness of a clever mouse and a persistent cat, Wendy felt like a child again. She daydreamed about Saturday mornings with her dad when she was little. He would tear her away from the cartoons, and she would feign kicking and screaming as he’d take her outside and push her on the swings, or teach her to ride a bike, or walk to the park. He would never let her sit in front of the television on a golden Saturday like today. Slowly, reluctantly, she willed herself out of her chair and into her room to change her clothes. She put on a T-shirt her dad had bought her on a business trip. Feeling adventurous, she bypassed the car keys and wheeled out her bicycle. It had been gathering dust since she got her license last spring. Wendy started pedaling down the r...

Everyone complains about the weather, but no one ever does anything about it. I have come up with some foolproof ways to control the weather. The following are ways to make sure it rains: Leave your umbrella at home or in your car. Plan an outdoor event. Go to the beach. Park you car a half mile away from your destination. Prepare to grill outdoors. Tell your children you’re going to the park. Go to an amusement park. Schedule a baseball game. Wear a white shirt. Leave the windows open in your car. The following are ways to make sure the sun shines: Get scheduled to work on a weekend. Plan an all-day meeting. Start spring cleaning. Carry your umbrella everywhere. Spend the day at the mall. Ground your child. Forget your sunscreen. Leave your restaurant leftovers in the car. Plan a trip to the movies. Get a migraine. The following are ways to make sure it really storms: Plan a long car trip. Visit a mobile home. Plan an outdoor wedding. Stay in the top floor of a hotel. Plan a long hi...

Wendy slid into the green striped vinyl seat. She pulled the foam padded safety bar over her head. She sunk into the torn seat as if it were a luxurious velvet cushion. She was home. She didn’t hear the chatter of the ride operator. She was in her own world. The car lurched forward, and her stomach fluttered in anticipation. She let out a gasp of air rather than join the screams of the passengers behind her as the coaster raced downhill. Wendy closed her eyes and leaned back, enjoying every move and turn of the giant monster, feeling the wind blast the hair from her face. She opened her eyes, taking in the ground above her at the precise moment the car reached the zenith of the biggest loop. All too soon the ride was over, and the coaster slowed to a stop. She was reluctant to leave her haven. The operator shot her an irritated look. She returned with a withering look of her own, and slowly stepped out of the car. She imperceptibly dragged her feet in an act of petulance, then straight...

Ever wonder where cotton candy came from? Whenever you go to the fair, amusement park, or circus, you’re likely to see food vendors with blue and pink fluffy cotton candy, some in packages as large as a young child. The texture is soft, but sticks to the moisture of your fingers or tongue. In your mouth, it melts down to almost nothing, leaving a pure sweetness behind. Cotton candy has been around for a long time, although not in its current form. The Iranians created a confection called “Pashmak” from sugar and sesame oil, which was probably the predecessor to our modern day cotton candy. Pashmak means “like wool.” Recipes for spun sugar are found in European cookbooks back to the mid-eighteenth century. Confectioners would go to great lengths to carefully melt sugar and fling the floss like strands into carefully crafted shapes. They would create spun sugar nests for Easter and sugar webs to decorate desserts. In 1897 William Morrison and John Wharton patented a candy machine that pr...

Hey devoted readers! Have to take a break from new blogs for a couple days… I’m working on a project. Enjoy my article on tourism in Chicago. As Frank Sinatra sang, “Chicago is my kind of town.” With parks, museums, theaters, and restaurants, Chicago has a lot to offer a vacationing family. Navy Pier is located at 600 E Grand Ave. More information can be obtained at 800-595-PIER or http://www.navypier.com . It is Chicago’s playground, with a variety of activities and scheduled programs, including Toddlin’ Thursdays for the tiny set and Family Fun Days. Pier Park includes a carousel, a giant ferris wheel, miniature golf, and other activities. Free entertainment is offered year-round, including fireworks displays. Millennium Park is located at 201 E. Randolph St. More information can be obtained at 317-742-1168 or http://www.millenniumpark.org . This park offers guided nature tours, and is surrounded by unusual architecture and larger than life sculpture, including an interactive ...