How to Bake the Perfect Treat for Strawberry Season: German-Style Strawberry Shortcake (Erdbeerkuchen)
When I was a kid, my mom always made Erdbeerkuchen, i.e. German-style strawberry shortcake for my birthday because it falls at the beginning of strawberry season. Erdbeerkuchen was pretty much the only German cake recipe my American mother adopted from her German mother-in-law. In fact, she loved it so much that on a six-week trip to the U.S. when I [...]
What to Do When You Want to Write a Story from Family History But Don’t Have Enough Material
Welcome to another installment of my advice column where I answer readers’ questions about writing compelling stories from family history: Hope asks: I would like to write about a great-aunt who always fascinated me because she was locked away in an insane asylum. The family does not talk about her beyond very basic information. How do I go about this? [...]
Three Uplifting but True-to-Life Books for You to Read during these Trying Pandemic Times
In the face of depressing news I always ask myself: What can we set against it? And I always end up with the same answer: The pursuit of beauty and the spreading of kindness are the antidote. I am supposed to read Wave for my workshop this month. But I am dragging my feet because I really don't want to [...]
Enjoying a Quirky, Tranquil and Off-the-Beaten Path Part of London: the Regent’s Canal Towpath
My favorite photo from our walk along the Regent's Canal Towpath: My brother bending his way through one of its tunnels. I have another virtual trip for you: off the beaten track, along Regent's Canal Towpath in London. I spent a few days last week putting together a photo album of my trip to London last November with [...]
Come Along on a Virtual Tour of the Ballestas Islands, whose Atmosphere is More Striking than that of Famous Machu Picchu
Whenever I think of the Ballestas Islands, I see this image in my mind. It is my favorite photo of our entire trip to Peru. As we are into our fourth week of stay-at-home orders in the U.S., and my friends and family around the world are suffering the same confinement, I am ever more thankful for the [...]
A Friend in Prison Made Me Appreciate Personal Freedom, Something that Seems Oddly Appropriate during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Having a friend in prison has been an illuminating experience for me. I have been contemplating and learning about what that life means, on a day-to-day basis, by corresponding and visiting my friend. It has made me aware of the treasure of physical, personal freedom--something I had never thought about much before. Who would have thought that the resulting essay, [...]