When I moved into my Abbey in October 2010, I didn’t really have expectations for how its landscaping would change over time. I guess I was concentrating on the home’s interior and just assumed that bushes would grow larger and I would plant flowers in the spring. That, of course, is exactly what happened. But this summer I’ve opened my eyes to the changes and the beauty that now surrounds me. Before I offer some […]
“Honey, why did they do it?” I was having lunch with my 95-year-old mother on Nov. 14. Because of her dementia and poor hearing, she misses a lot of what is going on around her. But that day she caught a bit of conversation from the booth behind her as a couple talked about the Paris attacks. When she asked what they were talking about, I gave her the shortest, least threatening explanation I could. […]
The first time I drove into Woodstock, Illinois, my car found its way to the town square all by itself. Or at least, that’s how it seems looking back. I wasn’t searching for the center of town, or for a place of beauty, history, culture, and shopping. I was looking for a phone booth. It was early June of 1970, and I was on a mission. I was hoping to land my first teaching job, […]
Christmas is a truly magical time in Woodstock, IL. And the magic is centered in the heart of our town, the historic Woodstock Square. During the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, workers string thousands of lights in the trees on the Square and on the buildings surrounding it. Then, on the night after Thanksgiving, Miss Woodstock flips the switch. This year more than 2,000 people were there to ooh and ahh at the beauty. Rather […]
This is arguably the busiest weekend that Woodstock will see all year. Orson Welles, who began his career here, is being honored in the 80th anniversary of the Todd Theater Festival at the Woodstock Opera House. Both of our local high schools held their graduation ceremonies. Girls on the Run sponsored a race. There was a motorcycle rally this morning. That would be more than enough for one weekend. But none of these is the […]
Home Sweet Abbey 