Grandmother Rose and I held a close relationship. She lived in three centuries and took her last breath in 2000. She inspired me to be a writer, and I was designated the keeper of her writings. Before I retired from teaching, I revealed my desire to write with my students. In actuality, I've never left teaching, but continue to substitute in the Fort Collins, Colorado area.Creating-whether a quilt, garment, home-cooked meal, gift for another, or written words on a page-gives my life meaning, challenge and enjoyment. Inventing poems and songs for family and friends, interviewing others and penning their stories, recording the history of the country school where my parents and I studied, authoring my memoir entitled Country Roads, and crafting new characters and new scenarios as a fiction writer continue to captivate me.Family is always a priority for me. Four generations lived on the farm where I was raised. I count myself fortunate to have milked cows, cleaned chicken houses, thrown hay bales, made my own clothes, and raised, then harvested garden produce. Today, I cherish fond memories of motor home explorations with my husband, now deceased, and focus, not only on writing, but also on creating adventures and moments of joy with my six great-grandchildren. First Runner-Up Winner in FamilyFiction contest with short story Full Circle.