Girl on the Swing
On the day that summer turned to fall, I took my little son to the park. The blue of the sky made the clouds stand out, drawing our...
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Patty Ihm
- Sep 11, 2018
- 3 min
Ode to My Child’s Teacher
For a span of nearly twenty-five years, children of mine have had the privilege of being taught, nurtured, cared for, and loved by so...
Patty Ihm
- Aug 27, 2018
- 4 min
See Ya, Buttheads
It was the wax bottles, the Maryjanes, the sixlets, and the caramel bullseyes, along with a vast array of other vintage candies that held...
Patty Ihm
- Jul 30, 2018
- 3 min
Racing the Clouds
“I know a lot about dinosaurs. My favorite is the Velociraptor.” “Is that a big one?” I immediately regretted encouraging this boy to...
Patty Ihm
- Jul 13, 2018
- 3 min
Sunsets and Storms
“How long do you think I’ll last? I mean, when do you think I am going to die?” Ethan’s questions still sometimes catch me a bit off...
Patty Ihm
- Jun 23, 2018
- 4 min
Mirrors and Empty Containers
Maybe he didn’t intend to leave it here, but I’m happy that he did. The whole kitchen fills with the smell of good coffee, because it’s...
Patty Ihm
- May 29, 2018
- 3 min
Dandelions, Cranberry Sauce, and a Fairy Tale
Had I paid more attention to the dandelions, these years may have made more sense. I figured that’s just how it was going to be. So many...
Patty Ihm
- May 1, 2018
- 4 min
True Story: A Crack in the Egg
The sun was just beginning to set as I finally made my way out into the evening, leaving the confining walls of the hospital, alone, as I...
Patty Ihm
- Apr 14, 2018
- 2 min
Am I Good?
There’s true magic to outshine the first bloom of an orchid when, through self-study, patience, crossed fingers, and a bit of fish...
Patty Ihm
- Mar 15, 2018
- 3 min
Get Me Some Milk, You Idiot!
Pillars of light danced from the early evening waters of the lagoon, a thousand glow sticks from a summer’s festival stood mid air. The...
Patty Ihm
- Feb 26, 2018
- 3 min
Nothing Left to Give
It’s going to take some time. I hope it doesn’t take forever. I must have been in second or third grade, and she was a year or two...
Patty Ihm
- Feb 11, 2018
- 3 min
Sparkles and Fear
She didn’t say a word, and neither did I. It may have seemed like just a piece of paper, but to me it represented much more. For nearly...
Patty Ihm
- Jan 25, 2018
- 4 min
Cinnamon Coffee
Her baby wore a cotton sun hat, and I saw her at the old park that nearly met the expressway. We were neighbors, people that fell into...
Patty Ihm
- Dec 30, 2017
- 4 min
In the Shadows
It was time to take the tree down. More needles had fallen to the ground than remained on the branches. The fires were burning, and the...
Patty Ihm
- Nov 5, 2017
- 4 min
Earthbound
I understand why they gave me one of those spoon/fork combos, but it was nearly impossible to cut the “grilled chicken” that occupied...
Patty Ihm
- Oct 18, 2017
- 4 min
It’s Okay If You Stay Here
It always seemed like such a project to put the hose away after I had finished watering in the yard. This was a task that offered no...
Patty Ihm
- Sep 18, 2017
- 4 min
After Wendell
It’s no secret: I didn’t want him in the first place. Maybe that’s not really fair to say; the truth is that I wasn’t confident that I...
Patty Ihm
- Sep 2, 2017
- 2 min
What Lies Beyond
Bright butter and lavender together blended to nearly a muddy brown, nondescript, until I slowed a bit and let my eyes see what was...
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