Every couple weeks, I assemble a “catalog” of news items, books, resources, ideas, etc., that recently piqued my interest. It’s also a pleasure to share my latest finds with you…

1. The premise of The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer is that “good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.” My favorite book so far on education!

2. Leading commerce agency The Stable aims to prove that apprenticeship—not college—is a viable option for learning and success.

3. God bless Osheta Moore for her book Dear White Peacemakers, a model of grace and a calling to grit when it comes to addressing racism.

4. I now lead the Twin Cities chapter of Green Bag Lady. E-mail me if you’d like to cut fabric and/or sew reusable cloth bags to help save our planet from the senselessness of single-use plastic. Open to all ages and abilities—materials and instructions provided!

5. Texture, color, and a paint-by-number-like simplicity—such is the awesomeness of punch needle embroidery! (And cheap doormats can serve as a good base? It’s worth a try!) I’m going to start with this pattern from Wooly Loon.

6. I love yarn pumpkins—yes, I do. I love yarn pumpkins—how ’bout you?

7. I return to this ABDCE formula for writing short stories time and time again!

8. On honoring five promises: A blog post in memory of General Colin Powell and in support of America’s Promise Alliance.

9. On striking a chord: A blog post in tribute to my beloved chord organ and music-making as it should be.

10. Brain differences aren’t flaws—we are getting better at appreciating neurodiversity (this post is worth a read just for the graphic alone).

I’m always looking for cool links and stories about writing, learning, and other creative endeavors. Please send yours my way, and thanks for reading!