Author Archives: Ann Kirsten

The Symbolism and Beauty of Growing Poppies
In Christianity, the poppy symbolizes not only the blood of Christ, but his resurrection and ascent to Heaven. Did you know that many scholars believe that Peter was talking about poppies when he said...
Ann Kirsten May 18, 2024

Want Your Adult Children To Visit More Often? Follow These Rules.
I hear them all the time - complaints from women my age saying that their adult kids don't visit them often enough. I remember being a busy young mom and my mother was always guilting me to visit her....
Ann Kirsten May 13, 2024 iStock | Mikhail Ognev

Handcrafting Spring Flowers With Paper
Spring has sprung! Nothing can match the beauty of a sunny spring day in the Pacific Northwest. It's our reward for lasting through all the gray winter days. I was telling my dentist how happy I am to...
Ann Kirsten May 11, 2024

When You Have An Imperfect Mother
For you, Mother's Day may be a special time to honor your mom. And, isn't it wonderful that we have a national day set aside to do just that? But, what about those of us who have had a difficult relat...
Ann Kirsten May 09, 2024

Popcorn Prayers
Although I'd love nothing more than to have long uninterrupted prayer times each day, that rarely happens. Moms especially can hardly find the time to go to the bathroom alone, much less find the righ...
Ann Kirsten May 02, 2024

Swedish Death Cleaning
The problem with organizing and decluttering tips is that usually the authors suggest doing the job rather quickly. I can't work that way. Maybe you can relate: I pull things out, I make a mess, I get...
Ann Kirsten Apr 17, 2024 GettyImages | Kostikova

Spring in the Pacific Northwest Can Be Weird
Spring in the Pacific Northwest is a weird time. One minute the sun is shining and the next we have torrential rain. Those of us who have lived here for a while are used to the temperamental weather a...
Ann Kirsten Apr 16, 2024

I'm Ready To Go...
Recently, my husband and I were getting ready to go to a gathering. I was ironing a dress I found in the back of my closet, madly emptying a drawer to find pantyhose that fit, and curling my hair. At ...
Ann Kirsten Apr 04, 2024

My Burlap Bag Gift of Joy - The Day My Garden Tote Arrived
Spring is here! We've made it through the time change and a LOT of rainy days. It is finally time for those of us who garden to get out and put our hands in the dirt. This is what we've been waiting f...
Ann Kirsten Mar 28, 2024

I'm Too Overwhelmed to Clean
This morning, I made a nice breakfast for my husband. I left the dirty dishes in the sink and on the counter. Then, I headed to my table where the remains of a craft day with my daughter were scattere...
Ann Kirsten Mar 21, 2024




