Hey, all you September people, this is your month to shine, and why not shine with the lovely sapphire as your birthstone! Sapphire! It means fidelity, leadership, and angelic realms. Wow! Three beautiful flowers form a fall bouquet for you: forget-me-nots (one of my favorites), morning glory, and aster. The morning glory signifies fresh starts […]

Way of Life at Etta Bend
The following story is from my mother’s book, Remembering Etta Bend. These are the words of Susie Latty, who, much later, became my mom. This would have been around 1918. Most of the things we used were homemade and they had to last as long as possible. Papa carved his own handles and wood implements […]

Hurricane!
Hurricane Ida churns toward Louisiana, growing larger and more dangerous by the hour. I’ve never been in a hurricane and never hope to be, but many people have and are. I can imagine the roar, the lashing of destroying winds, and the pound, pound of rain. But, to me, the scariest thing is the storm […]
Gardyloo!
Suppose you were walking along the street of a European town in the year 1650. Suddenly, someone yells, “Gardyloo!” Then, you’d better duck, fast. Gardyloo was a warning that somebody was just about to tip a bucket of something pretty awful and foul-smelling out of an upstairs window onto the street. Words are like […]
Quietness All Around
It’s awfully quiet in my little corner of the world this morning. A small breeze stirs the maple leaves. Nemo snoozes, the refrigerator clicks on, and even the birds are still. The dog walker strides up the hill, her furry, four-legged charge trotting to keep up. Yesterday afternoon, the quiet was broken with a rumble […]
