Lynne Phipps

Years ago, my aunt, my grandmother — known as Nan — and I were walking across the hospital parking lot after visiting my grandfather, who was recovering from surgery. It was dark and icy. As we approached our vehicle, I went ahead of … Read more

Having eight dogs requires a lot of regular upkeep to ensure that my little house is always neat, tidy, and clean. I therefore wipe down my floors and vacuum each day. It may sound like a lot, but in reality, it takes me only twenty to … Read more

During the colder months of the year, the minute our goats hear me outside in the morning, they begin crying out very loudly for their hay ration. Mmmmaaaaaaaaa echoes round and round the dark barnyard until their breakfast hits their … Read more

While visiting the veterinarian recently, the receptionist asked me if I would like to see the cat house. I am not really a cat person, but my daughter is, and I knew that she would be interested in what they had to show me. The cat … Read more

Listening to my grandchild takes practice and intentional listening. At four, she is still unable to pronounce a number of letters correctly. This issue makes various words difficult to grasp, as the sound that she is seeking to make … Read more

Earl Grey came to me as a three-month-old kitten. I am not much of a cat person, but there was something special about Earl. My granddaughters called him "Jungle Cat", since he ran like a gazelle and climbed anything and everything. He … Read more

One Christmas, my brother and I received a new game: Monopoly®. We played that game with our best friend, Michael, for many, many years thereafter. It was a game which I found uninteresting and a real bore. In fact, I still do. Back … Read more

We had just finished trimming the goats' hooves and removing burrs from their coats when I noticed that my horse Frank had a large burr in his tail. As I took the shears to cut it free, I realized that it wasn't just one burr; his whole … Read more

As I was going about my daily chores, God spoke the seed of an idea into my mind very clearly: to go back to school as a mature student. What He was asking me to do would change the course of my life, if I made the choice to trust and … Read more

At our early morning church service, calling out favourite hymns is part of the worship format, so the pianist never knows from week to week what he may be called upon to play. One Sunday, several songs which the pianist was not overly … Read more