Maria Calderoni
Bio
Born a lover of stories. I love to read, write and tell them. Tales of inspiration, resilience and struggle.
A life long learner, I enjoy nothing more than sharing interesting and useful things I have learned so far.
Please join me.
Achievements (1)
Stories (64/0)
How the Button Box Lost It's Magic
My chubby little hands twisted the tight lid left to right and right to left trying to pry the metal loose. Suddenly the two pieces separated sending forth a hint of peppermint and a cascade of buttons clattering onto the asbestos tiled floor in my cozy bedroom. I deftly scooped the buttons back into the bottom part of the tin and bent my face to inhale the delicious aroma. The candies, the original inhabitants of this pretty little tin long forgotten; this was now my own button collection started with the help of my seamstress mother. She had given me the tin and a few buttons when I was very small, to keep me occupied while she created beautiful garments for each of us. Watching the needle of her Singer sewing machine fly up and down as it ate yard after yard of beautiful fabric kept me mesmerized for awhile but eventually I would turn to the pretty container and its intriguing contents.
By Maria Calderoni3 years ago in Motivation
Discovering Joy in the Wild
I will never forget the first time I laughed. I forgot for just a moment, overcome with the hilarity of a shared moment among friends. I looked around wondering if anyone had noticed. Guilt flooded my soul. It had been 6 long weeks since we buried my young husband. Ripe with a baby soon to be born, I spent most of my days shrouded in a cloud of confusion and grief. There was no joy. How could I ever be happy again? But for the children, including the one yet to be born I had to at least try.
By Maria Calderoni3 years ago in Families
Stitch Fix Kids --A Review and a Gift For You
Ever skeptical, I have been scrolling past the Stitch Fix ads on Facebook for literally years. Oh I’ve clicked a few times and even answered some of the style questions but I always back out assuming the promises were too good to be true. Until last Friday.....
By Maria Calderoni3 years ago in Styled
Capturing the Wild..... Bees
"Run! Run into the house! RIGHT NOW!" I shouted. With shoulders hunched, I ducked my head as low as I could and ran. Millions of tiny insects were suddenly swirling around my head as the echo of their furious buzzing struck fear into my soul. Impossible to dodge, they kept slamming into my head and body at a ferocious speed but non alighted. Stunned momentarily they just kept flying in a giant collective tornado. Keeping my head as low as I could, while still increasing the distance between this invading force and myself, I scooped the one year old and dashed inside, slamming the sliding glass door behind us. Dancing nervously around we all checked our clothing and hair for any tag-alongs. Assured that we had escaped unencumbered, we then turned our attention to the window, peering nervously to try to ascertain what on earth had invaded our back yard.
By Maria Calderoni3 years ago in Earth
Cabbages or Potatoes
For children growing up in rural Canada just after World War II, raised by parents who had barely survived the Depression and Dirty 30's it was a time of resourcefulness. I have been gifted with the legacy of a thrifty family of survivors. Both my mother and grandparents had an amazing knack for creating delicious meals out of almost nothing. With barely enough to feed their own 4 children my grandparents were also known for their generosity, feeding hobos and anyone within their reach that needed a hearty meal even if it was only cabbage soup or scalloped potatoes.
By Maria Calderoni3 years ago in Feast
The Perfect Parent
I was the perfect parent. Very few can honestly claim this achievement but let me assure you, I held this coveted title right up to the day the nurse placed our first precious baby boy into my increasingly nervous arms. All the untoward advice I had glibly and confidently shared with my inexperienced friends who had preceded us in the journey of parenthood passed rapidly through my labor exhausted mind. As my face grew red at my sudden realization of my audacity, I knew, somehow I just knew it would all come back to haunt me, and I would pay mercilessly for being such an arrogant know it all.
By Maria Calderoni3 years ago in Families
For This Special Occasion I Took My Daughter to Dinner at the White House
After my kids dad died, one of the very best decisions I made was to institute “Date Nights.” Once a month each child scored one-on-one time with mom and we explored many low budget fun ways to enjoy each other’s company. Once in a while, usually upon reaching a milestone or having something special to celebrate, we would splurge and exceed our standard $10 budget.
By Maria Calderoni3 years ago in Feast