Author: Nancy J. Moncrieff

By way of an opening conversational gambit, yesterday morning, my beloved chose, “Thank you.”      “For what?” I responded, intelligently.      “For not telling me it snowed,” he clarified.  “I didn’t know until I looked out the window at the top of the stairs and saw snow on the roofs.”      “Lucky you.  I knew… Continue reading First Snow and T-Days Past

When Sue and I were out walking last Friday, we spied Loris working outside in her yard.  We asked her whether she were setting a good example for the rest of us by raising the bar so virtuously high.       “I don’t know about that,” she answered, “but it is a bit of an adventure… Continue reading Leaves and Quilt

We came up with a home truth in French class this morning:  grandmothers need to pass along their recipes.  We were discussing recipes our families enjoy, and Daryl broke down the details of how she prepares beef brisket.  The version her family likes takes quite some time to prepare.  It also includes strong coffee as… Continue reading Grandmothers’ Recipes

     Opening the blind on the window at the top of the stairs, one morning this week, gave me a view of sunrise I haven’t seen before.  Mostly, I kind of wince when I open that blind, still missing the maple tree we had to take down last summer.  The wince has been more pronounced,… Continue reading Skittering Leaves

     On the way to French class this morning, I saw a student-age woman taking a picture of the maple tree on the southwest corner of Plymouth Road and Huron Parkway.  She was not the first person I’ve seen photographing that tree.  It’s a maple and, particularly in its orange glory at the height of… Continue reading Maples

“There’s a lot of swannage on this lake,” I said to my husband as we descended the steep and twisting path down to Ypsilanti’s Ford Lake.  About twenty swans were visible in the portion of the reservoir we could see.  It’s an odd little lake, only thirty feet at its deepest, and outstanding at producing… Continue reading Swannage and Decorations

Daughter Number Three and her husband came for a few days’ visit, last weekend.  We were their base of operations as they met with friends and attended the University of Michigan football game.  They were also generous in the amount of time they spent with us.  It was a bit harrowing for them to be… Continue reading Easy Peasy, Never Freezy

On the television news this week, one of the reporters made an off-the-cuff remark about the beginning of fall, “every Michigander’s favorite season.”  Could that possibly be true?  It’s true for my sweetheart and me, and for the friends and relations I’ve been asking.  Fall in Michigan is, after all, pretty great.      For a… Continue reading Autumn Wonders

Grass spiders all over the neighborhood were working hard last night.  It’s easy to tell, as they unveiled their work in the first morning light.  The work is, itself, like veils.  Grass spider webs do not resemble anything Charlotte turned out for Wilbur.  They look like netting draped over blades of grass.  Or bits of… Continue reading Lightbulbs Flashing

Our little dog is getting old.  He still loves his walks, but he’s pretty clear on not needing to interact with other dogs who are out walking.  In part, this seems to be because, if we fall in with friends out with their dogs, we don’t walk as far.  Those other dogs, whether by ability… Continue reading Driving a Sheep