Author Archives: Erin

When we lived in Ithaca, the different parts of our life were complementary: when we wanted a reprieve from books, we hiked.  When school wound up in the spring, gardening took off.  When we needed to stay in and read, … Continue reading →

This morning we headed out early for a trip to Daniel Boone National Forest, about an hour-and-a-half from our house.  Poor Sydney: he planned and gave us all lots of advance notice, and we were out the door by 7:15, … Continue reading →

I’m discovering that there are benefits to having a Feb. 15th fellow and a Good Friday girl.  Both kids are thrilled that everyone around them gets in a bit of a silly, celebratory mood right around their birthdays, and they … Continue reading →

I usually find the walk to my 11:00 class a bit of an obstacle course.  Since it’s right after chapel, and there’s a bit of a break before class, the halls are filled with clusters of friends making lunch plans, … Continue reading →

I’ve been reading about the March doldrums from other academics, and now I can see that life in Kentucky is just different.  Here, starting this week and last, the birds are cacophonous in the mornings, I’ve seen t-shirts and shorts … Continue reading →

In some families, it’s the living/family room that’s the hangout.  But in our house, the living room is a retreat, a place to get away from whirling activity.  For the action you head to the kitchen, where somebody’s cooking, someone … Continue reading →

Sydney could see I’d had a bit much of our kids’ wild behavior this morning, and in the midst of my complaining, he reminded me, “Remember the kids’ book, when the girl realizes that her attitude makes things sweet or … Continue reading →

“Apparently you cannot take her anywhere.  She’s being mean.” Whoah.  He gives “apparently” a lot more weight than I thought it had! Erin

A colleague of mine asked me to teach his students about picture books this week.  The course is on adolescent literature, and they’ve barely touched books for young children, so I’m in charge of that part.  My sole credential for … Continue reading →

In some ways, I could really like this weather.  It’s really winter, finally, in Kentucky.  There’s a foot of snow on the ground, I’ve been able to stay home from school for three days, and my familiar little town looks … Continue reading →