Sharry Miller

Welcome to the Family, Scout!

Thane and I got our first dog, Shuvik, a year before we got married. We had just started living together after several years of a very tumultuous relationship, so perhaps she was the first real sign of our commitment to each other, not that we saw her that way then. To our 23-year-old selves, she was simply the perfect little bundle of fur we needed to help fill our cold Fairbanks cabin. She remained the... Read more →

Body Success

Sorry, but I find myself posting once again on success. The first time, way back in February, I asked you to explore with me various definitions of success. I count that post as one of my most successful simply because it seemed to have engaged you as readers. This past weekend (in June), my mother-in-law was telling me how the post had prompted a couple of days of cogitation, and she'd decided that what we... Read more →

The Language of Flowers

Mom loaned me a book while we were in Hawaii. Now to be perfectly honest, it was one I'd told her I wanted to borrow, and indeed had given it to her for Christmas because I wanted to read it, but that's beside the point. She finished it while we were in Hawaii and loaned it to me. Oh, yes, it was The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. The main character is an orphan... Read more →

Thoughtful Gifts

Wendy gave me a thoughtful birthday gift today. I was so touched that not only did she give me a gift, but she showed that she pays attention to this silly blog of mine. Some time ago, I wrote a post (which I can't seem to find now or I'd link to it) about keeping a perpetual calendar on recipe cards. The idea is that you have a card for each day of the year,... Read more →

One of Those Days

Gloom, despair, and agony on me Deep dark depression, excessive misery If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all Gloom, despair, and agony on me. This song from the old TV show Hee Haw is one that has stuck with me. It's the first song my daughter could sing all the words to, complete with the appropriate Eeyore voice. It's my go-to song when I'm feeling sorry for myself. After a... Read more →

Funniest Kitchen Catastrophe

Upon checking the Biographile website for the second time in a half hour this morning, I was disappointed to learn that the story I'd written for their Funniest Kitchen Catastrophe competition wasn't chosen as one the five finalists. The collection of Julia Childs biographies and cookbooks was not to be mine. Then I read the chosen stories and understood. They were all much better than my hastily thrown together 750 words. Today, I thought I'd... Read more →

Alaska's Changing Environment

Bright fuchsia stands of fireweed lined the road this morning as I drove to work. This ubiquitous Alaskan flower leaps into full bloom late every summer, but it seems that this year they went from unnoticeable to half-bloomed-out overnight. It seems early this year, too, but I think I say that every year in a denial of the passing of summer. An Alaskan old wives' tale says that when the fireweed are bloomed out, summer... Read more →

Rhubarb Friendship Sauce

It was a sauce that couldn't have been made without friendship. The first friendship piece was obvious: Wendy and I decided a couple of weeks ago we'd get together to make rhubarb sauce. To ease the process, she brought a delicious bottle of Three Blind Moose chardonnay. It's a true friend indeed who provides the wine. The primary ingredient in rhubarb sauce is, of course, rhubarb. It is here that friends played the most important... Read more →

Apricots, Cherries, Peaches

"It won't be as good as your grandmother's," I warned my husband as he asked me, again, to make apricot-pineapple jam. He has very fond memories of being a 10-year-old eating his Grandmother (never Grandma) Miller's jam. How could anything I make ever compete with that? I'd purchased a 20 lb box each of peaches, apricots, and cherries from Tree Things, and picked them up at Pippin Lake on Thursday. This family-owned company brings up... Read more →

Crocheting the Past

A week or so ago I found instructions for making granny circles here. I forwarded the website to Rowan, hoping to feed her interest in fiber. We snuggled up on the couch this morning with a few skeins of wool yarn to play. She chose the turquoise and lime, while I opted for a couple of handy balls of light and dark pink. I was about Rowan's age when I first learned to crochet. Sitting... Read more →