Lagniappe – that good ol’ Southern word that means something a little extra. Today it’s a photo fest of the best that’s blooming here in my little corner of the world. The south corner of our house has been a mess for two years. We’d removed some shrubs that had taken over, planning to replant last summer. We had the …
A Real Pioneer – Part 2
In the previous post, I gave my dad’s history as a descendant of No Man’s Land homesteaders and the bio of his early years. This picks up after his discharge from the Army. Marriage, Family, and a Lifetime of Adventure: Mike returned to Guymon where he met Patricia (Pat) Brown, a hometown girl. They married on May 28, 1949, and …
Welcome to “Those Were The Days. . .”
Welcome to my new website! Thanks to Matt Jones of JonesHouseCreative, I have an updated look, some new features, and a little different format which just means that my blog and website are all in one place. I feel comfortable here – at home – and that’s what I want for you, too. THANK YOU, Matt and team for creating …
Thirty Days of Thanksgiving – Day 14
Day 14. The letter N for Nostalgia. Time for a blast from the past. Today I’m thankful for YouTube to take us back to the Good Old Days! Enjoy! Any golden oldie memories you want to share? I’m listening.
>Old Friends and New: Book Signings Part One
>I’ve wanted to write this post for a long time and talk about book signings. I’ve had a flurry of recent ones, and these have been quite personal since they’ve taken me back to the “home fires” parts of the country. Chasing Lilacs is set in the Texas Panhandle. I grew up there. My roots go deep there. It’s not …
>Writing Nostalgia – Part One
>Boomer Books are in! Or so I’ve heard. So are historicals, and what might be historical to you may only be slightly nostalgic to me. Boomer books fall into a pretty wide array of genres and can be set in any decade from the fifties through the present day. They can have older protagonists unknotting their pasts or they can …
>CAFE SPECIAL OF THE WEEK – Apple Pudding
>Autumn is in full glory here. Crisp mornings. Cooler evenings. The leaves making an almost daily progression from green to gold to russet to blazing orange. Pollen filtering through the air . . . wait, that’s not one of the joys of the season. But despite a few sneezes and sniffles, there’s something a bit mystical about autumn. Rest. Relaxation. …
>Carve Diem
>In anticipation of three of our grandchildren visiting, I threw out a question on FaceBook about carving pumpkins. Is it too early? Any hints for a fun experience? Here were some of the responses: 1. Put Vaseline on the raw edges where you make the cuts to help pumpkin last longer.2. In the north we used to carve them a …
>WHAT I’VE DONE . . . SO FAR Meme
>This meme comes originally from Angela Hunt. I snagged it from Robin Lee Hatcher. Directions: Put an asterisk next to the things you have done in your life, and then feel free to pass it on in your blog! Also feel free to add a couple at the end, if you like. *1. Started your own blog *2. Slept under …
>Ah . . . Do You Remember These?
> Does anyone remember the Statler Brothers? Max and I loved this group in the 70s and 80s, so much, in fact, that we own all their CDs and have seen them onstage in four different states. In 1983, we planned our entire vacation around going to their annual 4th of July celebration in their hometown—Staunton, VA. The Statlers retired …