A Jolly Turkey

A Jolly Turkey

That special holiday in November arrives in just two days. I have heard a rumor that a jolly turkey slides down chimneys bringing mince and pumpkin pies and Thanksgiving-themed books for all good and dedicated readers. If this is true, maybe I could give him a few tips on what to leave on the festive […]

A-One and A-Two, And…

Nothing dates a person like her repertoire of songs. My repertoire is  a rusty, dusty, relic of a long ago yesterday. In my school days, both as a student and as a teacher, we began the day with singing, the Flag Salute, and the Lord’s Prayer. At Valley Center, one of the best elementary schools […]

Goose Summer

Goose Summer

From The Heritage of Etta Bend by Susie Latty Day. Time: around 1918, Place: the Latty Farm. In the fall come rare, sparkling days that are warm and bright, with very little wind, when nature seems to savor the last remnants of summer. Spider webs break loose from their moorings and float through the air, […]

The Ticking of a Clock

The Ticking of a Clock

  When I hear a clock ticking, I go back a few decades and find myself in Ma and Pappy Latty’s house. They always had a wind-up clock and I can remember how the sound meant peace and security for me. I can see my grandparents’ living room, sun coming through the windows, and feel […]

When the Light Turns Golden

When the Light Turns Golden

There’s something about the late afternoon, just before the supper hour, when the day is winding down  and the light lies golden and still through the windows. There’s a hush, a silence in the rooms, a quiet acceptance that the day is over and soon the sun will slip beneath the horizon.  What do you […]

That’s America to Me

That’s America to Me

My grandparents once owned a store and lived in a house across the road. The house and store are gone now, but the memories of it still survive. I remember being in it as a child and it seemed awfully big, dark, and exciting. The candy counter and the bright-colored sweets with the scales my […]