Sneaky Snake
I was walking around the dock when I spotted him, the granddaddy of every snake in our lake, sunning his fine self on an ancient pile of cypress knees. I froze. I love looking at snakes— if, and only if, the two of us are separated by a healthy distance. With me on the dock and Grandpa Sneaky in the water, I felt pretty safe. I
The Love Choice
Once upon a time a lady named Sonya was preparing to ask her husband for a divorce— as soon as she figured out how to make it as painful as possible. The man had broken her heart. He was sorry and claimed to have changed, but Sonya couldn’t let herself trust him. Around that time Sonya met an old friend for coffee. The other lady felt
Pruning Wars
When it comes to trimming the shrubs and trees around our home, Phil and I have vastly different ideas on when to say when. Phil takes pruning to the extreme. I can almost hear the foliage begin to whimper whenever the man picks up yard clippers. I would tell you that Phil is a more is more type of pruner. Phil thinks I am anti-pruning,
The Forgiven Stone
I was browsing a bookstore within walking distance of the convention I was attending when I found it. One large stone imprinted with one compelling word, forgiveness. The thing all but spoke out loud to me. I bought it impulsively and began toting it back to the convention center. It was heavy when I struck out. It grew increasingly so over the next two city
Ending the Weary Search
I always wake up depleted after a Searching Dream. That’s what I’ve taken to calling the nightly dramas I have so often, Searching Dreams. It’s almost impossible to explain them to a second party, but I think I’m supposed to try. My searching dreams always have a destination I urgently need to reach— only I’m unable to make any forward progress because the setting and the
The Things You Can Think
The All Things Southern Baby Czars and I might not always agree on which book we want to read and how many times it should be read, in one sitting, but when it comes to story time itself, the grands and I are on the same page. Pun intended. Books rock! One of my favorites is a Doctor Seuss classic, “Oh, the Thinks You Can
Making Plan B Beautiful
It was Wednesday and my day to keep the grand girls. Miss Emerson had one thing on her mind. “Keggie, are we going to make Jell-O today? “Sure,” I said. Jell-O is our thing right now. We make it before lunch and the deal is that we get to share a small cup if the girls rest well. Mind you, two-year old Carlisle still takes
Wrong Side of Temptation and the Original High Road
Today’s story is yet another from the Christmas holidays. I can’t help it. I stack up more stories than there is time to tell ‘em. At this rate, I should be opining on Valentine’s Day by Easter weekend. I have a nutcracker collection that inhabits my dining room during the holidays. Gathered in groups on the dinner table, the side board, occasional table and china buffet,
I Want to Be an Extreme Imitator Like Carlisle Mae
Everything comes in pairs with my granddaughters, Emerson and Carlisle, A.K.A, The ATS Bellerina Czars. And I do mean everything. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. We’ve all seen younger siblings imitate their older sisters and brothers but Carlisle Mae takes the age-old game to a whole new level. If four-year-old Emerson Ann is doing it, two year-old Carlisle Mae is going to try it
Y’all Come Go With Us
Papa was reclining on the loveseat and Mama was warming herself by the fire when she signaled their next move with a delicious old saying I haven't heard in quite some time. "Well, come go with us." Perhaps you've heard this southernism, or said it yourself. It doesn't seem to be as common as it once was, but "Come go with us," means the visitors