Shade Tree Stories

musings and memories rooted in faith and family

Welcome to my blog!

Here you’ll find stories and reflections rooted in the family, faith, and soil that grew me. I’m a life-long Kentuckian from a family of life-long Kentuckians who can trace our land back to the days of Daniel Boone. I’m a wife, a daughter, a sister, mom of two young adults, a teacher by nature and by training, mom of three Boston Terriers, lover of good food, travel, and proper English grammar (though I can’t promise to I’ll always use it on this site). Most importantly, I’m a child of God– a work in progress striving to follow Him faithfully and love others fiercely.
Learn more about me

Latest stories from Under the shade trees

  • Keeping the Lights On After Christmas
    When I was a little girl, Christmas was basically over once we ate our big meal and opened all our gifts. In fact, my dad used to start taking the tree down pretty much as soon as we cleaned up…
  • A serene image of four candles glowing warmly in a dimly lit room, evoking tranquility.
    Death’s Dark Shadows Put To Flight
    A few days before Thanksgiving, I found myself sitting at the bedside of a friend who was dying. Just 61 years old, John* ended up in a nursing home in Kentucky after becoming seriously ill while visiting a friend one…
  • A warm cup of coffee nestled in a soft gray blanket, creating a cozy atmosphere.
    An Ordinary Year, Joyfully Lived….a Christmas Letter
    This is the letter I am sending with my Christmas cards this year. It seemed as though it might be worth sharing here as well. I have omitted the personal details of the family update section. Hello, friends! I debated…
  • The Architecture of Truth, Beauty, and Goodness
    Once a week I sing with a community choir that rehearses inside a local church’s sanctuary. The building is relatively new because it was reconstructed after a fire, but it has several features that harken back to a Gothic cathedral….
  • Senior men playing a board game outdoors in Bolu, Turkey, sharing laughter and camaraderie.
    From Rook to Mahjong; Why We Still Gather Around the Table
    I do not know how to play Poker. I think as a child, I had the impression that Poker was a game for immoral gamblers. (No offense if you are a Poker player.) In my family, our card game was…
  • A lively evening gathering outside a red barn in Spring Grove, Illinois.
    When Your Place Was Your People
    I flipped on talk radio in my van recently and caught the last part of a conversation a guy was having about his church’s upcoming fall festival. He said that churches often try to manufacture community by hosting those types…
Yep, that’s me with my grandfather.
Marla and Pa, 1978

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