I celebrate Labor Day in a peculiar way. I mop my floors. Actually, I mop throughout the year, but I make a practice of doing that each Labor Day, in gratitude for having a floor to mop and the ability to mop it. When I was a youngster, Labor Day marked the end of summer, […]

The Mystery of September Rain
What is it about a gentle rain that is calming, soothing, and better than a lullaby for putting a person to sleep? Rain dripping from leaves and eaves, thunder rumbling softly in the distance, September, tucking the world in, a soothing backdrop to sleep. Nighttime rain is comforting; daytime rain is exciting. Why? Children know. […]

Night at Etta
Last night ended peacefully after an exciting end to Monday. At Etta Bend, a hundred years ago, it is a peaceful ending to a busy day. My grandfather, I called him Pappy, has come in from the fields. Ma Latty, my grandmother, has finished making supper, and the girls, Alice, Susie, and Georgia have washed […]

Rearrangement
The wind rearranged my back yard last night. Limbs that were on the trees at 4:30 were on the ground at 5:00. It was mostly maple limbs and mulberry limb. The huge, strong oak limbs held fast although they did an awfully lot of swaying. The storm came up suddenly. Lightning played across the sky […]

The Magic of Music
Music has power. In olden days, armies marched with a song. In biblical times, music was so important that kings sent singers in front of an army, confusing the enemy. King Saul was comforted when David played the harp, proving that there’s truth in the statement, Music soothes the savage beast. Imagine what music might […]

