Author Archives: Lin Ennis

Taking Too Much

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Lin Ennis

Twenty-one fully-opened white primrose blossoms at the peak of my three Oenothera caespitosa plants—the stars of my 2009 rock garden. I checked them every morning, my joy boosted by bloom count. Conversely, tethered to the amount of critter-caused damage was heartache. After … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged cottontails, environment, glaciers melting, habitat disappearing, javelina, mule deer, nature writing, Northern Arizona wildlife, oenothera caespitosa, pollution, species extinction, xeriscape | 86 Comments

Lessons in Deadheading

Posted on July 12, 2009 by Lin Ennis

The Western equivalent of raking sand in a Zen Buddhist garden may be weekend appointments with yard work — landscape responsibilities. It gets me out of my home office of endless demands, and even out of the house where there’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged aging in place, desert flower, euthanasia, life's questions, nursing home, old age, pacemaker surgery recovery, weekends, zen buddhism, zen buddhist | 10 Comments

Shorting the Shortcut

Posted on June 2, 2009 by Lin Ennis

Are all humans drawn to shortcuts like flies to a stable, or is it just I? For over a decade I coached people building home-based businesses, primarily in network marketing. Franchises are similar. There is a blueprint, a proven path … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged foreplay, great sex, mlm, multilevel marketing, rugged individualism, shortcuts, success, ucla study, weight watchers | 13 Comments

Best Water Bottle

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Lin Ennis

I’ve searched for months for a way to reduce my use of disposable plastic water bottles. Finding nothing, the last time I was at a big box store, I bought another case of bottled water (ok, so what if it’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged BPA free water bottles, contigo, fitness, gym, hydration, workouts | 6 Comments

Do Not Envy

Posted on May 19, 2009 by Lin Ennis

Some of the women I work out with at the gym have me going! Two of them haven’t an ounce of extra weight on them–totally tight butts and tummies. One of them can do push ups with each hand on … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged fitness clubs, green with envy, gym classes, health and fitness, medicine ball, strength training, tight abs | 14 Comments

Incorrect Sentiment

Posted on April 9, 2009 by Lin Ennis

When someone close to you dies, there are no right words, no correct ways to feel or express yourself; but in no case is that more apparent than when the deceased is a parent, more particularly a mother. I haven’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged aging, april fools, assisted living, childhood, death, dies, dying, laundry basket, mother, parents, this mortal coil | 12 Comments

When Mom Dies

Posted on March 28, 2009 by Lin Ennis

Thirty-five days ago, I received a call from my younger brother that our mother had been taken to the hospital for something akin to acting strangely in her apartment building with common, shared hallways. A minor bladder infection was identified … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged death, dying, mothers, writing ones life | 1,092 Comments

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Posted on February 28, 2009 by Lin Ennis

I’m an avid reader, so I was stunned a few years back at a seminar in which one of the exercises was, “Write down the title of your favorite book.” The question wasn’t unusual. That I could think of only … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged abuse, I know why the caged bird sings, Lawrence Dunbar, maya angelou, Paul Laurence Dunbar, words, writers, writing | 954 Comments

This Is My Brain on Paper

Posted on February 23, 2009 by Lin Ennis

I remember the first time I read of someone forcing words onto the page. The phrasing expressed the push-pull of the writing experience, as though the paper and writer were in a tug of war. In a knot writers believe … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged drama, emotion, human desires, humanness, logic, public persona, public speaking, tug of war, writing | 14 Comments

Making History

Posted on January 19, 2009 by Lin Ennis

Yesterday, the Arizona Cardinals made history by beating the Philadelphia Eagles in national football playoffs, earning the Cards a trip to the SuperBowl. Tomorrow, the first African American will be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog | Tagged cardinals superbowl, history, kindness, obama | 23 Comments