Author: christrelstad

This piece is dedicated to my little sister. She is such a life line who ALWAYS answers my text and has been a huge help keeping things sunny as of late. Thanks, Trish. I have an uninvited guest staying here in my old farm house. Covid. This guest brought with it a luggage full of… Continue reading On The Sunny Side

It’s been exactly a week since Thanksgiving. Honestly, it seems more like a month ago. That said, the remains of the holiday are still very present here in the house. I can promise you it is not an issue of leftovers; they were polished off days ago. Yesterday, I fired up my oven to make… Continue reading Burnt Offerings

The day before Thanksgiving has finally arrived. Like most people I have a last-minute run to the grocery store. I owe that to my daughter who informed me she forgot she had promised to bring the green bean casserole. I don’t really mind the forty-five-minute drive. I have a playlist for that. I drive across… Continue reading I’m Thankful For My Dreams

I cradled you as I carried you from your place of slumber. I pulled you in close and whispered, “You are alive and I love you for that.” Gently, I stirred you awake and told you sweet nothings. I bent over and inhaled your unmistakable scent. I would know you anywhere just by your essence.… Continue reading Sally

It's been a rough few days. Thor lost his favorite barn kitty, Douglas, last Wednesday. This morning his pet rooster, Chicken Hawk also passed. Anyone who knows me know that I am just mom. I love being mom. But some days are really, really hard. Today was one of them. Without going on too much,… Continue reading Untitled

For some time this piece just didn't seem quite finished to me. On a morning walk recently this came to me. Who knows? Maybe another walk will yield another revision. Her clumsiness made her noticeable. Her laughter made her enduring. But the way she hung out her clean laundry made her sexy. He liked to… Continue reading Clean Sheets (Revised)

Today started out as a sad one. Forget that it was Monday or it had drastically changed from doable temperatures to shockingly cooler, even with the sun. No, today came with a sad start because my beloved farm blouse would need to be retired. I loved this shirt. It had a pale green floral print… Continue reading The Beloved Blouse

I walk pretty much every morning, even in disagreeable weather. Sometimes, those are the best walks. This morning had been a crisp autumn start to the day. The sky was pale blue with large puffy clouds. My morning walks are mainly for exercise; I tend to walk very fast. On my walk today, I heard… Continue reading Listen

She was the one who always danced. In her mind she looked like a swan or a devil on the dance floor. Others would scoff, stare and point. Sometimes fill her with shame as they tried to yank her off the dance floor. One day a boy she liked; told her she was the best… Continue reading All The While She Cleaned Her Lettuce.