A Frigid Winter Adventure
Several weeks ago I watched my outside thermometer drop to -13° Fahrenheit by bedtime, not an unusual winter temperature for Vermont. But that isn’t the coldest weather I’ve experienced, not by a long shot.
Mom’s Chinese diploma
My mother earned two medical degrees, the first in 1936 and the second twelve years later. She always displayed the 1936 Chinese diploma in the most prominent spot.
Olfactory memories
When I was a child, every now and then I would find my parents slicing and dicing garlic, ginger, vegetables, and meats—a sure sign they were getting ready to cook a Chinese meal.
Love of Mountains
My love of mountains began in childhood in the Appalachian mountains…but living in Alaska changed my life.
The Minya Konka, 1932
An oil painting of a stunning mountain landscape hung in my childhood home.…Few people outside of the mountaineering world know of this mountain on the eastern rim of the Tibetan plateau, but in my family the Minya Konka is the stuff of stories.
China, 1930
My parents were newlyweds in 1930 when they crossed the Pacific Ocean to Shanghai, China. They were bound for the city of Chengdu in Sichuan province and their first of two tours of duty as medical missionaries.
A Tribute to my Mother
When my parents met in 1929, Dad was in his final year of medical training and Mom in her first year of medical school. As
Writing by Hand: Accessing Memories in Writing Memoir
I recently searched online for memoir writing tips to see how often handwriting might be suggested. To my surprise I found little mention of what
To Marilyn, Who Was Always There for Me
I’m writing this blog on what would have been my sister Marilyn’s eighty-fourth birthday. She is always in my thoughts, even though she passed away
Living with Mountains
Over the course of my life, I’ve lived in various settings that are considered mountainous. I grew up in northcentral West Virginia, part of the
Winter Solstice Memories
As I write these words on the 2023 winter solstice, I’m remembering the solstice of 1997. It’s a treasured memory, coming almost exactly a year
The Transformative Power of Telling Your Story
I recently visited Alaska to hold two public events for my book, Whispers from the Valley of the Yak. As always, being back in Alaska