Blog

Weather Change – Brad Ashford

Weather Change

Brad Ashford

 

 

Watching summer change to fall is a favorite event of mine. At home, in Omaha, this event occurs, generally, in the last couple of weeks in October. However, in Ely, Minnesota, where we have a summer cabin, it happens now at the end of September.

Fortunately, I am at my cabin, now, watching as the wind is shifting from the South to the West. A strong wind is blowing in and the gray white bank of clouds rushes across the horizon. White caps dot the normally becalmed expanse of lake a few hundred feet in front of my deck. The maple trees are already a deep red, and the birch are topped off with a deep gold hue. The contrast with pine and spruce is dramatic.

Maybe, most notably, the loons have left the lake. Their distinctive call is our church bell and street light. As a child, I remember awaking to the church bell in our neighborhood and returning home with the street lights. The loon, though not synced to Greenwich Mean Time, signals the morning, warns us of inclement weather, and portends the rising of the moon. I am told they are off to South America. Good luck.

I am blessed, as I get to see this whole change of nature happen again, in a few weeks, at home in Nebraska.

 

Submissions Guidelines

Call for Manuscripts

Who we are

Fine Lines is a national, quarterly, literary journal devoted to the publication of poetry, prose, and writing across the curriculum.  The journal seeks:

:: to provide insights for teachers and students in all disciplines.
:: to encourage discussion of writing in ways that cut across disciplines, definitions, and traditions.
:: to publish contributions by all members of the writing community.

What to submit

We welcome articles on all topics of interest to our readers and reflective writing about interesting life experiences.  Our editors encourage a broad variety of approaches, methodologies, and styles.  We accept, for example, research articles and practical articles that describe innovative approaches to life’s challenges.  We are especially glad to receive articles that encourage stimulating dialog that crosses traditional rhetorical and disciplinary boundaries, forms, and roles.  We provide a forum for professional writers and first-time authors.

What we disclaim

The views expressed in the Fine Lines journal are solely those of the authors. Therefore, Fine Lines is not intended to represent any author’s point of view – albeit politically or religiously. Our purpose is to be a vehicle for fine writing.

What we require

Submissions must be sent via email, as file attachments, on a 3.5 PC disk or CD-R, or as laser-quality hard copies.  If replies are requested, include a self-addressed, stamped envelope, or mention this in the email submission.  Use the MLA format , 6th edition, with all submissions (investigative essays, research articles, nonfiction, etc.).

Where to send

When sending submissions via email, please submit in Microsoft Word (.doc), Rich Text Format (.rtf), or in Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf). Please visit the style guide link at left for more specific information regarding email submissions.

Please send snail-mail submissions to:

The Editors
Fine Lines Journal
PO Box 241713
Omaha, NE 68124

The Story of Fall by Lizzie Kelleher

I threw myself so hard into Fall that I didn’t have time to see December coming. Before I’d been sitting on the docks with my feet dangling in salty water, and my eyes were closed. I felt content here, watching the pinks and oranges dance behind my lids. I plopped my big toe into the sea and watched a ripple form, bigger and bigger, never ending. I love the sea. I love the idea of mermaids and rosy coral breathing in the deep. Summer’s fingers were combing my hair, bleaching the curly ends out with sun. A seagull flew in the distance. A chill stirred in the air. Summer shivered.

“Fall’s coming,” Summer said, with eyes in slits. I threw myself up and peered around, to see if fall was really there, but fall was just a distant shadow, and like a bat circling the sky, it soon vanished. The chill left the air, and Summer smiled again.

“C’mon,” Summer grabbed my hand, “We’re swimming.” Summer jumped off the dock, and I looked down at my hand, and it was so hot, it burned.

Continue reading “The Story of Fall by Lizzie Kelleher”

Game Changer by Kim Justus

In 1995, I suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm. I was thirty-five years old, in the best shape of my life, and had just gotten a clean bill of health with an annual physical. The incident resulted in the need for a craniotomy, where a metal clip was strategically placed to stop the bleeding. The blood seeped into various parts of my brain, so once inside, a massive cleanup was required. Back then, micro-neurosurgery was a relatively new technique. Prior to that time, the most likely outcome was death. Given the same circumstances, odds for survival are only slightly better now.

Continue reading “Game Changer by Kim Justus”

One Meaning, One World by Cecilia Hiebner

How can I show my Spanish students the various similarities all languages share? In Spanish we say paz, in French one says paix, in Italian you see pace, in German one finds as frieden, and in English the translation is peace.  These words differ in spelling and in pronunciation, but all contain only one definition that the entire world understands. “This is amazing!” I tell them.

Continue reading “One Meaning, One World by Cecilia Hiebner”