EARTH DAY 2021

Saluting Rachel Carson and A SILENT SPRING Essay and photos by Patricia Zick @PCZick “All mankind is in her debt.” Sen Abraham Rubicoff in 1964 after the death of Rachel Carson You might ask who is Rachel Carson? I had heard of her prior to moving to Pittsburgh in 2010, but I wasn’t completely aware

ECLECTIC MUSINGS FROM A WRITER’S LIFE

When we made the big transition two years ago to leave Pittsburgh and move to the mountains during the summer and Florida for the winters, lots of decisions had to be made about what we kept and what we tossed. The hardest task for me personally came when I had to address the file cabinets

FIGHTING #INAUGURATION BLUES

It’s been a rough couple of months, but yesterday I felt hope for our country for the first time since November 8. I marched with more than 14,000 others in Florida’s capital city, Tallahassee. I borrowed an idea from my cousin who attended the Women’s March in Washington. She wore the pink hats and attached

I LOVE MY COUNTRY BUT I CRY FOR IT TODAY

I’m not living lightly right now, at least not when it comes to politics and the state of our union. I’m scared. And for the first time that I can remember, I will not watch the inauguration of the new president. Others who have suggested the same thing or who have declined to attend the

ENJOY A LITTLE HOLIDAY CHEER

I’m pleased to announce the release of a collection of Christmas short stories, Bright Lights and Candle Glow. You can download this anthology for FREE! This collection from eight talented authors boasts short stories set during the winter holiday season. These tales encompass sober themes, heartwarming messages, and uplifting endings, appropriate for the winter season

WHEN WILL WE LEARN? #VOTE 2016

The name of this blog is “Living Lightly,” but the topic of this post may veer from my intentions when I first started the blog. However, I must write what’s in my heart even if it means some of you (I hope not) decide to unfollow me. I’m sickened by the political debacle occurring in

Poisoning the Poor Redux

I posted this post back in February. Yesterday I heard a report on NPR that Flint residents still can’t drink their water. They must still pick up water from city hall. The donations of bottled water have fallen off. And still, the people suffer because of horrid decisions made by those in power. The Detroit

STOP THE BULLYING

I wrote the essay that follows two years ago after attending a football game between Notre Dame and the University of Pittsburgh. This past weekend the two teams once again took the field in Pittsburgh, and I asked my husband if it had been Notre Dame fans who almost ruined one of our few visits

Five Year Anniversary of #Deepwater Horizon Disaster

Five years ago today I sat in bed reading the morning papers and listening to Good Morning America. A little passing news story took up less than a minute of air time to let us know that an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico had caught on fire. No big deal. Until it was. Eleven

#AmericanSniper verdict brings back old memories

My great nieces were murdered almost fourteen years ago. Their murderer entered a plea of guilty, by reason of insanity. This plea meant we all had to face the murderer in court and sit through two weeks of testimony, not to determine the murderer’s guilt, but the sanity level of that person. Fortunately, the murderer’s attempts