Serena

I have a lot of friends from many different walks of life. It’s been interesting watching the various reactions over the outcome of our last election. Some were elated. Some were thrown into deep despair. Those who were thrown into despair now talk of stockpiling ammunition, stocking up on food, and battening down the hatches. The constant talk of a “fiscal cliff” isn’t doing anyone’s nerves any good. Frankly, our family’s hatches have always been battened down–whatever that phrase means. We have our own water filtration system, we have a wood burning stove and plenty of firewood. I’m almost always well stocked on beans and rice. I’m not a fan of shooting Bambi, but I would do so if it was necessary to feed my family. ( There’s usually a herd of deer in my garden every morning anyway.) Our decision to do this was not based on any political climate. We just like living in the country and are willing to sacrifice convenience and gasoline to do so. But that isn’t really what I mean by battening down the hatches. One of the great benefits of having a Christian mindset is the reassurance that this world is not our […]

Read More

As I was researching The Measure Of Katie Calloway, there was one thing that kept cropping up in the old books I was reading. The wildfire that swept across Michigan in the fall of 1871. It was one of the greatest natural disasters in the history of the United States, and yet I–who had lived in Michigan for 18 years of my adult life–had never heard of it. It was the perfect storm of drought, thousands of acres of dry-as-kindling pine tops left over from the lumber camps, farmers burning off fields, and some believe there was a low-flying comet that added its fiery path as well. I read true stories of heroism and of great stupidity, desperation and wisdom. I read of the enormous outpouring of compassion that came from people all around the country in the way of food and clothing long before the Red Cross existed. It wasn’t easy working all these elements together into a book about a marriage of convenience, but of all my books so far, this one is my favorite, and the valiant Ingrid Larsen is my favorite heroine.

Read More