Rita Herrmann lives in the Ozark Mountains with her two dogs and Netflix subscription. A lifelong writer, she's learned to draw deep thoughts from the simplest of observations. Through her work on She Wears Red Shoes, she inspires others to be the best version of themselves, even though she often eats too much chocolate. A good road trip with a great playlist is how she rolls. Her core beliefs include dancing spontaneously, singing randomly, laughing often, living simply, and learning to forgive.
Curving rooftops of concrete and steel rise out of hills and trees on 120 acres in northwest Arkansas. The structure mimics the curve of the hills. Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is nestled among the trees, on the edge of downtown Bentonville, Arkansas, where the beautiful yet unpretentious structure houses some of the most…
What do you say when you haven’t said anything for a year? Yep, it’s been awhile, right? My last post was on July 14, 2017, and we are now 384 days down the line since that day. During that time that you haven’t heard from me, it’s not because I was quiet. It was because…
It’s been a year. It has been one full trip around the sun since the day when the rug felt pulled from under my feet. That day, I remember so well, was the one day I was most scared, unsure of my future, fearful of what the next days held. Little did I know, on…
If someone had asked me one year ago if I would ever consider myself a carver, I would have laughed. Yet, I think I can say that now, though cautiously: I am a carver of spoons. Still, I am a novice, a point I do understand and willingly accept. No one is an expert at…
We sat on a park bench and looked out over the landscape. I asked about his upcoming projects, but he turned the conversation to my situation. He said we could talk about his projects later but we needed to focus on me. That’s what friends do, he explained. Over several weeks, Morgan and I had…
I tried to write it all for you. I tried to explain the path that this year took with reflection and insight, describing each significant event and how it shaped my world. I tried to make it all make sense and deliver a grand synopsis of lessons learned and the power of both love and…
In so many old western movies, we’ve often watched the scene where a tired cowboy is seated on his horse while nearly slumped over from exhaustion. But the horse keeps moving. The cowboy of the Old West, exhausted from days of work and struggle, unsure of his next step and too tired to care, depends on…
The last weeks, I have been immersed in the soundtrack to the Broadway musical, Hamilton. Several months ago, when I first learned of this unique approach to history, I was, admittedly, skeptical. As a history buff, I wondered how a story of American history — from the historical period I enjoy most — could be…
(Originally written in March 2016, but never posted. But LOVE is still relevant today, and everyday.) This morning, I, like the rest of the world, awoke to the news of the horrific terror event that occurred in Brussels, Belgium. As I watched the images cross the television screen, I thought, “When will this stop?” in collective…
I am an amateur genealogist and have been for over 30 years. Not many people know that, nor do I talk about it often, because it is a personal undertaking where few people understand the underlying reason. Frankly, I do not tell a lot of people about my ingrained desire to climb the family tree…
"Your quotes are better received if you ascribe them to someone else."