Shade Tree Stories
musings and memories rooted in faith and family
Latest stories from Under the shade trees
- Connecting The Dots and A Happy Breakthrough
I’ve been doing a lot of work lately. Hard work. And I don’t mean manual labor. I mean the difficult work of sitting with your feelings, examining them, and processing… - Hailstones in Battle
A few weeks ago, on a Friday night, we were sleeping in our basement because the weather forecast was predicting strong storms for our area overnight. Around 5am, I was… - Five Year Fight
This is a hard week. It’s been five years. Five years since covid forced our lives to change forever. Sometimes it feels like it was an eternity ago, and other… - Early Morning Coffee Thoughts
A few mornings ago I was sitting on the couch enjoying my first cup of coffee while my dogs were snuggled on my lap under a cozy, minky blanket. The… - I Wonder As I Wander
(part two of my previous post….) “I wonder as I wander out under the stars…” We’ve had some frigid weather since Christmas. We had snow, followed by ice, followed by… - I Wonder
There are many things I wonder about at this time of year. I wonder about silly things like what it would be like to go “a wassailing” or what the… - Light Fights and Preparation
Perhaps you’ve heard of the great thermostat wars…the battle each household must fight over who controls the temperature of the house. We fight that one in our house, but we… - God’s Medicine for Worry
For the past several years, I’ve been expanding my creative outlets and thinking about what it means to create. Those of you who know me would probably say that you’ve… - The House My Grandfather Built
(This is an update to a devotional I wrote two years ago.) I can’t believe it’s been two years since I watched the demolition of my grandparents’ house. It still… - Telling Stories
“Tell me a story! Tell me a story!” When I was a little girl visiting my Granny, I often asked her to tell me a story, particularly at night after… - Thoughts on Alexander Hamilton’s Bio; Can we keep this republic?
I’ve been reading the very in-depth biography of Alexander Hamilton that was the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical about his life. It’s been quite the educational read. I’ve learned… - Ministry of Presence: what I learned sitting with a dying woman, part 2
In Part 1, I mentioned Job and his three friends who came to sit with him during his time of intense suffering and grief. For seven days and nights, they… - Ministry of Presence: what I learned sitting with a dying woman (part 1)
Recently I was asked to pray with a nursing home resident who was nearing the end of her life. Other than her name, the only thing that I knew about… - R-e-s-p-e-c-t; What does it mean?
I’m convinced that most people today conflate the concept of manners and respect, and I do not believe that the two are the same. The Oxford online dictionary defines manners… - The Guitar
My grandfather and his brother Nathan were musicians in a band that toured. Well, actually, it was just the two of them, and by “toured” I mean they played the… - Sitting In a Cathedral
For Mother’s Day my husband took me to my grandparents’ farm. And when I say “farm,” I mean 110 acres that includes fields for growing crops, an old barn that… - No Easter Photos
When I was a little girl, there was no question that my family would spend Easter weekend with my grandparents and attend Sunday church services with them. This also meant… - My Way
I had a very proud momma moment last week. I hopped in my daughter’s car for a short ride across town and, as she always does before she puts the… - Stubbornly Leaning
I was asked to write a devotional for a ladies group–“Growing in 2024.” Here’s what I came up with. (Rather, here’s what I think God helped me write.) If you… - Hot Dogs Instead of Steak
This Christmas was my second year singing Handel’s Messiah with a large choir and orchestra. If you aren’t familiar with The Messiah, it’s an oratorio (similar to an opera but… - It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas
I had coffee with a friend the morning after Christmas. “It just didn’t feel like Christmas this year,” she said. Many of her family members had been sick, and she… - Shouting Alleluias and Cuss Words
I’ve been absent for a bit. Sorry about that. I had a long bout of a Covid-like virus in November and I’ve been scrambling to catch up ever since. I… - Being Present
I recently enjoyed a much-needed vacation to Hilton Head Island. I was blessed to spend some time relaxing on the beach and bike-riding on the trails through the pine trees… - What test scores and transcripts won’t tell you and letting God do the talking
My daughter is in the process of applying to vet schools. It’s a highly competitive field, and though there is currently a national shortage of veterinarians, there are only so…
Welcome to my blog!
I’m a life-long Kentuckian from a family of life-long Kentuckians who can trace our land back to 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 may not 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
Marla and Pa, 1978
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