historical fiction writer, amateur photographer, retired computer guru and math geek
Just back from a week away on Lake Algonquin in the Adirondack hamlet of Wells, NY. It was our second year there and the weather couldn't have been more different. Last year was unseasonably hot: 90s all week. This year was a more comfortable 70s. Rain on the way up, rain on the way home, … Continue reading Well, Well, Wells
Kudos to 1952, the year of my birth. Seventy-two years ago, things were a lot less expensive. The average cost of a new house was just over $9,000, a new car would set you back $1700. Renting an apartment? $80 a month on average.In 1952 you could expect to pay .$53 for a pound of … Continue reading 1952: A Very Good Year
These hot summer days remind me of a time spent immersed in the world of baseball. Barely a night goes by that I'm not watching a baseball game. Usually the Yankees game. (side note: Did you know that Abner Doubleday, the man who supposedly invented baseball, was a Civil War Union Army General? ...You do … Continue reading The Boys of Summer
(Photo: Captain/Dr. James Dana Benton, or, as he is known in Nostalgia, Dr. Jim Banyon) Yes, I know. I posted my first chapter of Nostalgia a few weeks ago. So if you feel like skipping this version, you won't hurt my feelings. But as I mentioned in this post I got frustrated with what I'd … Continue reading More “Nostalgia”
This first week of July we’ve been vacationing at Boyd Pond. You might remember that we were here in mid-May; that was a “pre-visit” for this week-long stay. Although it has been hot, and very muggy some days, it’s much cooler here than in Syracuse.It’s been quiet too. As I write this, silence surrounds me, … Continue reading Back to the North Woods
First of all... this has been a cra-a-a-a-zy week! My dryer starts acting like it's possessed by aliens. My car turns into a zombie. And the heat! High 90's, heat index 105! What the heck? This is New York, not Florida! Now, about that writing: When I started writing Nostalgia I rattled off the first … Continue reading Trash can writing
How many of you out there have sisters? Ooh! Ohh! I do!In fact I have two sisters: Kate is about 2-1/2 years older than I, Pat is nineteen months younger. We live in cities that are not close but not that far apart and, because we don't see each other often, we make it a … Continue reading “Sistas”
I promised a sneak preview a couple weeks ago, and finally I have something to show you: an advance image of my second novel, "Nostalgia," a novel about PTSD in the Civil War. Once again I have an ancestor to guide me. My great-great-great uncle. Dr. James Dana Benton, was a surgeon in the 111th … Continue reading Coming soon…
Our Airbnb destination early last week was listed as a "rustic cabin." What do you think of when you see the word "rustic"? I think of tents on a barren, dusty site, maybe with a campfire. If you add the word "cabin" I think, sparse furniture, few amenities, ...maybe even an outhouse. But this place? … Continue reading Remote, But Not Rustic
Every other Sunday I post to my blog--Sometimes about my writing, sometimes photography. I post thoughts, opinions, book reviews, and snippets of my life. But today, for the first time in --- how many years has it been? I've got nothing to write about. On the 20th, we're headed a couple of hours north for … Continue reading I Got Nothin’
Susannah Willey Writes 