The Cornfield in the Moonlight

The Cornfield in the Moonlight

The Cornfield in the Moonlight by Blanche Manos The cornfield in the moonlight, when the shadows dance and sway Is not the same at midnight as it is throughout the day. The field is hushed at midnight; the world has gone to sleep, But the cornstalks nod and rustle at the mysteries they keep. Who […]

Dog Days

July 3 through August 11 (approximately) are the “dog days of summer.” But, why are these hottest, most humid days, related to our canine friends? Perhaps, it’s because of the rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. At least, this is what some of the ancients  believed. These sticky days of summer affected them too.  Summers […]

To Make a Book

To Make a Book

If you haven’t yet made a book, you should try it. It’s a fun, rewarding activity. I suppose, in a way, journals qualify. After all, the covers are there, but the pages are blank. It’s up to the writer to fill in those blanks with words. Children love making books. In kindergarten, we made dinosaur […]

St. Swithin

For the past two mornings, thunder roused me out of sleep. Rain! It’s wonderful to have rain in July. St. Swithin’s Day is tomorrow. What does an ancient saint have to do with the weather? His is an intriguing story, if you’d like to look him up. It has to do with rain and July. […]

Musical Sunday

Sundays with family are the best and Sunday, my whole family was together with me for lunch. Then, after lunch, Matt, Nathan, and I had a music session. The boys played guitar accompaniment and I sang. Yes, I did. I sang an oldie but goodie, The Tennessee Waltz. They sounded great. Me? Not so much, […]

Building a Mystery

As you know, the protagonist in the Ned McNeil full moon mysteries is interested in old houses and even joined a group in town called the Old Houses Club. A lovely old house in South Carolina was fascinating enough to include it in my book. I changed it a bit and didn’t mention its name. […]