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Words from the Woods
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Defining My Role as a Stepmother
“A child cannot have too many people who love them and want to help them succeed.” — Unknown I never aspired to be a stepmother. Not...

Barbara Kane
Mar 35 min read
32 views
1 comment


The Challenge and Reward of Motherhood
“The love you take is equal to the love you make.” — John Lennon (Abbey Road) I’ve hiked for miles up and down the Big Horn Mountains,...

Barbara Kane
Jan 236 min read
107 views
1 comment


The Bird Lady of Sauk City
Though no two lives are alike, I believe everyone experiences moments they consider extraordinary. For me, the pleasure of meeting Edna...

Barbara Kane
Jun 18, 20245 min read
206 views
4 comments


Teachers Make A Difference
Having been a teacher of both children and adults for over fifty years, my mind can easily wander back to the classrooms of my past. One...

Barbara Kane
May 10, 20245 min read
98 views
11 comments


Music Magic, a Heart Connection
“Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Those of...

Barbara Kane
Mar 26, 20248 min read
150 views
5 comments


Wandering
You’d think by age seventy-six, my days of exploration and wandering might be over, but though I try to settle in, sooner or later...

Barbara Kane
Jan 19, 20245 min read
133 views
2 comments


Blind Spots
I don’t like misplacing things and unfortunately that happens more often than I like. Sometimes I can’t find my reading glasses or my...

Barbara Kane
Nov 28, 20233 min read
97 views
2 comments


Everything I Needed
Standing in the middle of the cobblestone courtyard In the sweltering, ninety-degree heat, I pointed my camera at the colossal colonnades...

Barbara Kane
Nov 8, 20234 min read
102 views
5 comments


Falling on My Face
“You must never feel badly about making mistakes … as long as you take the trouble to learn from them. For you often learn more by being...

Barbara Kane
Oct 14, 20235 min read
116 views
5 comments


Pruning and Rejuvenation
Each year, after what seems to be an endless winter in the Northwoods, I’m eager for a splash of color in the spring. One May I filled my...

Barbara Kane
Aug 26, 20234 min read
101 views
5 comments


Personas
When I was in my early 60’s, an age I considered somewhat old, yet still somewhat young, I had decided that ocean cruises didn’t fit my...

Barbara Kane
Aug 2, 20236 min read
115 views
4 comments


The Spirit of a Child
“If we all could see the world through the eyes of a child, we would see the magic in everything.” – Chee Vai Tang The older I become,...

Barbara Kane
Apr 15, 20235 min read
157 views
5 comments


My Quest for Stardom
When I was a child, being a show business celebrity appealed to me. I liked playing a variety of roles, wearing different costumes,...

Barbara Kane
Mar 6, 20236 min read
146 views
9 comments


The Magic of Clutter Clearing
February through March, as Northwoods temperatures dip and fall below zero, I limit my outside activities and organize my house instead....

Barbara Kane
Feb 8, 20235 min read
130 views
7 comments


Not Just Any Ol’ Tree
“Give what you have, it may be better than you dare to think.” Longfellow Tis the season to be jolly, but holidays aren’t always joyful....

Barbara Kane
Dec 18, 20224 min read
132 views
7 comments


The Zen of Gazing out a Window
“Your desire to be near a window is your desire to be close to life!” ― Mehmet Murat ildan One morning while talking to my mother on the...

Barbara Kane
Nov 21, 20224 min read
128 views
4 comments


Gentle Brushstrokes
I’m not the person I was fifty years ago and I’m not the person I was a year ago. I keep changing and though my former selves seem to...

Barbara Kane
Nov 4, 20227 min read
120 views
6 comments


A Slosh of Truth
"Be an encourager: When you encourage others you boost their self esteem, enhance their self-confidence, make them work harder, lift...

Barbara Kane
Oct 3, 20225 min read
131 views
5 comments


Lessons from a 45th High School Reunion - Part II
I called my husband, Bill, from the car. "I can't believe this! I think I left my reunion clothes at home! Can you double check?" My...

Barbara Kane
Sep 14, 20225 min read
119 views
2 comments


Lessons from a 45th High School Reunion - Part I
The mailbox contained no surprises except for one. Unlike the local advertisements, retirement literature, and latest Handyman magazine,...

Barbara Kane
Sep 11, 20225 min read
142 views
4 comments
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