Scattering Ashes
for mom & dad By the time this piece is published, I will be back in my Mustang convertible, that was my mother's, this time heading north to my hometown,…
It is Happening Again
I am celebrating the release of my friend and colleague’s book, The Crystal Beads, Lalka's Journey. My Goodreads/Amazon review: In Pat Black-Gould’s exquisite book, “The Crystal Beads, Lalka's Journey,” readers see the…
I Found Aunt Berte
Next week, my dear sister Kathy and I begin our sojourn, scattering our folks’ ashes, from Cleveland to Mackinac Island, with stops at the University of Michigan and Traverse City.…
How Dare He?
Not on the top of my bucket list but nevertheless on the list was my wish to visit my Russian ancestors’ homeplaces--where Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus intersect. Now this will never…
Jubilation
June 5, 2022. Kickoff, Your Majesty! Dieu et mon droit . . . . meaning God and my right, is the motto of the monarch of the United Kingdom outside Scotland, since…
When you are 112-years-old, you’re allowed to sleep a day away.
Olivia-Chanel, age 16. I first met Olivia-Chanel when she was brand new: In NYC, I walked into my daughter's studio apartment on Washington Square and there was a "frog-legged thing"…
The Invisibility Club
Starting out my post-graduate studies, I never imagined that the 17th century would be my area of literary and historical focus. Initially, the poetry of the romantic period attracted me. The…
Did you know that ‘Yar’ also means ‘love?’
My family comes from the area where Russia/Ukraine/Belarus intersect. They were exterminated. I am feeling a heartache, relived for my people. This time I can watch, at least, and feel…
Irish Beer & Kosher Kookies?
Guess what corresponds with St. Patrick’s Day this Thursday? Yes, the joyous Jewish festival of Purim. Says Stephanie Butnick, Deputy editor, Tablet Magazine and host of podcast Unorthodox:"They tried to kill us, we won,…
Two Worlds Collide: Surviving Loss
I am re-issuing this, last year's blog,in honor of my mother's 3rd yahrzeit on Saturdayand in remembrance of Ukraine's victims. March 12, 2021, Today, is the 2nd anniversary of my…