“A day that will live in infamy,” President Roosevelt said. And, indeed, it has and will. A sneak attack by Japanese aircraft against the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor triggered the United States’ entrance into World War II, December 7, 1941. As I watch old film clips and read first-hand accounts, I can imagine […]
Jun 15, 2023
Red Shamrocks and Courage
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It lay there, scattered on the ground. Shattered red leaves were strewn across the dirt and all that was left was a tangle of roots with one or two drooping leaves still hanging on. I carefully dug it out, put it in a pot, and carried it into the kitchen. Now, it rests on the […]
Jun 6, 2022
Remembering the Sacrifice
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This is D-Day. It happened in 1944, a lot of years ago, a hellish time for the men who landed on the beaches of Normandy. Thousands died, many miles from home; young men who stood between us and tyranny. Because of them, I am able to enjoy watching my grandchildren grow up in a free […]
May 28, 2022
Talk to Them
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This morning, I got up thinking about children and their importance. If you are fortunate enough to have children or grandchildren, nieces or nephews, let me assure you that they are more important than anyone or anything else in this world. We all love our kids, but sometimes in the rush and pressure of job […]
May 2, 2022
The Peggs Tornado, Part I
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Each year I re-print the story of the Peggs tornado that I wrote for The Tahlequah Daily Press in 1985. This story is important because it is a part of our history. It is a sad story, but it is also full of human compassion and courage. We should not forget the many whose lives […]
Apr 10, 2022
The End of an Era
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Dignity in defeat and graciousness in victory. I’ve often wished, if I could go back in time, that I might have been present that day, April 9, 1865, in the parlor of Wilmer McLean of Appomattox Court House, Virginia. I would like to have seen General Robert E. Lee, tall and erect, dressed in dignity […]
