Author Archives: Shannon Laws

Poem: Voice on the Trail

    Voice on the Trail “and at last I saw : wherethe road lay through sunlight and many voices and the marvelorchards, not for me, not for me, not for me.”  -from the poem ‘Then I Saw What the Calling Was’ by Muriel Rukeyser (1913-1980)   All the voices of the Wood called “Shannon!”ContinueContinue reading “Poem: Voice on the Trail”

DNA Part Four: Spice

Spice I recently moved.  I noticed while cooking the other day that I gave up a spice advantage.  The “community” spice rack had all sorts of wonderful grounded herbal ingredients.  One of my favorites is smoked paprika.  My current meager collection is about 6 things: two kinds of salt, a black pepper grinder, curry and…ContinueContinue reading “DNA Part Four: Spice”

Writing “The End” on Your Novel

I don’t reblog that often, but after reading this post by Susan Wingate (an award winning author) I had to. Writing IS a labor of love. I agree with Wingate. Something is lost if we write “mechanically”. Plenty of used book stores have books, but how many stories really change the reader, affect a generation?ContinueContinue reading “Writing “The End” on Your Novel”

Christmas Card 2014

Holiday Happy Dance Merry Christmas from the S.P. Laws staff! -Shannon, Brad, Vin, Robert, and Byung-hun Click HERE to view our holiday card in Super-High-Speed Definition™ So, how was your 2014?  What a mixed bag of nuts, right.   A large group of protesters stage a “die-in” on the street in response Monday in SeattleContinueContinue reading “Christmas Card 2014”

Poem: Girl Chases Hat

Late night keys dangle in the wind clouds move along the sky river wind swirls low to pick up anything not tied down, not held down   There goes her hat!   The thing that will keep her warm tonight stomped by feet of shoppers, rejected as trash her hat, made for one head. Rain wetsContinueContinue reading “Poem: Girl Chases Hat”

DNA Part Three: The Test Is In

The Test is In So today, the day after Thanksgiving, I receive the results from my DNA test with 23andMe.  Logging in I went straight to the “My Results” tab.  My hands were shaking a bit.  I wondered if there would be an immediate DNA match, perhaps 6-12%  or more, with another person on file.ContinueContinue reading “DNA Part Three: The Test Is In”

DNA Part Two: The Waiting

Part Two The Waiting I’m getting close to the day.  The day my 23andMe DNA test will return and I’ll know my genetic heritage.  I’ve decided to  share the results with my two children first, then my mom and brother, (my father has passed).  Then share it here.  The story will not end with theContinueContinue reading “DNA Part Two: The Waiting”

It’s Time for Ham!

Since 2010 I have posted this story around the holidays.  It has become a Madrona Grove tradition.  The ham story is a about generations and tradition.   My mother’s mid-western family has many traditions.  One that is especially unique is making fresh Oyster Stew on New Years.  My mother’s Minnesotan family originates from the Rhine RiverContinueContinue reading “It’s Time for Ham!”

Essay: Fresh Water

This semester I took an essay class. The instructor provided us with topics and sources to be sited.  I decided to write about the global water crisis.  This essay normally would be considered too long for a blog post, but the issue has my attention.  Doing research on a topic, exploring it, and developing yourContinueContinue reading “Essay: Fresh Water”