Judy Appel

Judy Appel is a Minnesota girl. Born in 1940; she grew up in a small college town enjoying a safe, simple life. Sneaking into the abandoned rock quarry to walk out on the freshly frozen ice was as exciting as dodging garter snakes hiding along a wildflower trail, riding her bike down to look at the flooding Minnesota River, or playing the bass drum with the Lincoln Junior High School Band in the Fourth of July Parade. Describing herself as a "Labrador Dog" type of person, she grew to treasure the "walking friendships" cemented by loyal girl friends who joined up on daily walks to and from school, the common mode of post WW II transportation.

Snow flakes, laughter and the handsome college guy who offered to carry her books on a walk home from the library one winter evening, created the passionate love affair that ended more than a half century later with her husband's passing in 2013.

Judy's published writing began with stories generated by her teaching career. They appeared under the tag of "Teacher, I Love You"; later, "A Teacher's Insight" in the Stillwater, Minnesota Gazette from 1997 to 2002. Beginning in 2004 she partnered with Mary Huntley to write the story of the women who as high school seniors began calling themselves "The Blue Garter Gang." This memoir, Amazing Attributes of Aging; Silly and Sacred Stories of Blue Garter Friends was published in 2009. The "Scribbler's" writing group founded by Judy is now entering its tenth year of encouraging new writers in the St. Croix Valley of Minnesota.

Finding My Place, A Widow's Wanderings, her latest publication is now available as either an eBook or soft cover at the Amazon Bookstore.