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I Choose Writing over Crafting and Decorating Almost Every Time
I choose writing over crafting and decorating almost every time. Except for when my grandkids request a crafternoon or remind me that __________________________ (fill in the upcoming holiday here) is coming and we need to decorate. Then off I go to Hobby Lobby or...
DIY Sausage, Dachshunds, Head Healing, and Chocolate Cake
DIY sausage, dachshunds, head healing, and chocolate cake. What in the world are they doing in the same title? Perhaps nothing in your world, but they've been main events in the Philo family's world since Hiram and I returned from vacation a couple weeks ago. Upon...
I’m Homesick for South Dakota
I'm homesick for South Dakota. Had our last visit been a while ago, the feeling would be understandable. But we just got home 3 days ago, so the homesickness is puzzling. The best explanation is how absolutely perfect our trip was (a week in Spearfish and a week on...
The Summer of 2025’s Top Ten Greatest Hits
Hiram and I returned from vacation a week ago. Since then the mountains of laundry have been scaled, the mail and bills are under control, and I found time to reflect on the summer of 2025's top ten greatest hits. You'll find the bare bones of the list below. To read...
The 2025 South Dakota Festival of Books Will See Jane!
The 2025 South Dakota Festival of Books will be seeing Jane and me this September in Spearfish. Word came in late May that my workshop proposal was accepted, and I couldn't be more pleased. Here are a few reasons why: Our son was born at the Spearfish hospital in May...
I Just Got Rid of the Ultimate Book Hangover
I just got rid of the ultimate book hangover. It started in early March when I began the manuscript of the sixth West River Mystery. From then until the end of May, my days were spent time and space traveling between my real life as a 69-year-old resident of central...






