Connections: More Than a Word Game

FaithLinda HanstraMarch 16, 2024Faith, RelationshipsComment

Introducing…My BookStack!

A stack of books I've read, reviewed, and might recommend.

BookStackLinda HanstraMarch 2, 2024Book ReveiwComment

From WTMI 🤯 to MI 🤓 (Manageable Information)

A deep dive into information overload and our choice to sink or swim.

MusingsLinda HanstraFebruary 24, 2024self-care, ReadingComment

Football, Feelings, Faith, and Free Samples!

Plus, a recipe for your Super Bowl party!

Faith, MusingsLinda HanstraFebruary 9, 2024Food, Lent, Lent through the Little ThingsComment

Sing Us a Song, Billy.

We’re all in the mood for a melody.

Family, Empty Nest, Musings, FaithLinda HanstraFebruary 3, 2024Music, Relationships, Beta 4, Lent, Lent through the Little ThingsComment

A Tender Little Story that Clearly Rocks!

A tiny taste of Lent through the Little Things, to whet your appetite.

Faith, Family, Empty NestLinda HanstraJanuary 28, 2024Lent, Lent through the Little Things, FaithComment

Empty Nest, FamilyLinda HanstraNovember 30, 2023Semi-Retirement, RetirementComment

Thanksgiving 2.0: One Easy Tip to Upgrade Your Gratefulness

A sneak peek at “semi-retirement,” while revisiting a favorite Thanksgiving post.

Family, FaithLinda HanstraNovember 18, 2023Thanksgiving, Semi-Retirement, RetirementComment

Three Things Actually Saving My Life Right Now

A sore right shoulder. A noisy kitchen appliance. And November 9.

These three things actually could save my life.

Biking, MusingsLinda HanstraOctober 14, 2023Health, COVID-19, SurgeryComment

My-gration.

Soon, I’ll be joining the loons on our southward migration for the winter. It’s been a good summer. I’ve learned a few things in this grand experiment that I can take with me on my future journeys back and forth.

Faith, Travel, Lake LifeLinda HanstraSeptember 26, 2023Minnesota, Loons, FaithComment

Turning Gray: Can we Embrace, Replace, and Give Grace?

I turned 60 this past year, and I admit I have qualms about joining the ranks of older persons. Is my aging body a sign of weakness? Will others look at me and assume I’m incapable? If I let my hair go gray, will others see me as irrelevant?

Empty Nest, FaithLinda HanstraSeptember 11, 2023Aging, Ageism, Empty Nest, FaithComment

Hide, Ride, then Hit Your Stride: a 3-Step Approach to Empty Nesting

Looking back, I can see that the adjustment to an empty nest happened in three stages. For me, each one was a necessary part of the process. The first two stages were a matter of survival, while the third one helped me thrive.

Biking, Empty NestLinda HanstraAugust 28, 2023Fear, Grief, Minnesota, Biking, Latest PostComment

Type One Diabetes Turns 10—and the Dreaded 26. A New Struggle Emerges.

Most young adults walk into the world of health insurance with no health issues, or perhaps one or two minor ones. That was the case with our older children who had made this transition. While there was some stress, it was not unlike other stressors in their new adventure of adulting.

But young adults with Type 1 Diabetes (or other major health issues) have additional struggles.

Family, Empty NestLinda HanstraAugust 12, 2023Type 1 Diabetes, HealthComment

Comfort Food and Friendship: the Magic of Sharing Recipes

How many times have you asked for a recipe and then, when you pulled it from your files, forever connected it to the person who first shared it?

Musings, FamilyLinda HanstraAugust 1, 2023Food, Friendships, Book ReveiwComment

Alaska, Part 2: Sea Lions, Kittens, and Bears—Oh My! On Calming our Fears

Fear can be a good thing. It protects from danger, preserves life in the face of enemies, and keeps offspring safe from harm. While wild animals fear humans, it’s common sense for humans to fear wild animals as well.

Wildlife is just that…wild life. Our role is to respect, protect, and care for the creatures we share this earth with.

Travel, FaithLinda HanstraJuly 23, 2023Alaska, Kittens, WildlifeComment

Alaska, Part 1: How to Hide a Mountain; When Clouds Cover Beauty

…We stopped a couple of times along the way for some amazing mountain vista views. We weren’t sure if we were looking at Denali or not, so we texted our Alaskan cousins who replied, “You’ll know it when you see it! (IF you see it.)”

But at 20,310 feet—nearly four miles high—how could we not see it?

TravelLinda HanstraJuly 15, 2023AlaskaComment