When I was a girl, June brought the end of school and the beginning of swimming lessons at our city pool in my hometown--Sanford. That pool was built in 1935 by the WPA--Works Projects Administration, as part of the New Deal of President FD Roosevelt's administration. That huge rectangle of turquoise water was a magnificent … Continue reading Swimming Lessons
being a grandparent
Back Home on the Farm
The one time of year I miss being a child the most is summer. I have a deep yearning to be back there on our farm, feeling the dirt under my bare feet, watching a sudden shower from the cover of our front porch, playing until the dark's only light is dancing fire flies. I … Continue reading Back Home on the Farm
Happy 99th Birthday, Mama!
Today would have been Mama's 99th birthday. She died in April of 2020 in the midst of the pandemic--not from Covid but from a natural end-of-life after years of decline from dementia. Our family was lucky that the disease did not impact her personality as it does with many; she remained a gentle and kind … Continue reading Happy 99th Birthday, Mama!
Forgiving Our Fathers: Forgiving Ourselves
Today we celebrate fathers. It's a day of remembering for those of us who have lost them. For my son, Brooks, who's the daddy of my grandsons, Baker and Parks, it's feeling the love and the huge responsibility for his exuberant two and four-year-olds. With this day of national honoring of these men, comes mixed … Continue reading Forgiving Our Fathers: Forgiving Ourselves
Family Reunion: A Gathering of Loyalty and Love
Yesterday we had our Smith Family Reunion, Mama's family that had eight children and twenty grandchildren. We were lucky that all but one of the eight-- three daughters and five sons, lived in North Carolina and we saw them regularly when we were growing up. I have fond memories of Grandma Smith's farm house bulging … Continue reading Family Reunion: A Gathering of Loyalty and Love
What do I need now?
Lately I've been thinking a lot about how to navigate this chapter of my life. As I mentioned in my post, Really Retired, I've finally ended my career as a nurse. Last week, I let go of taking care of my grandson two days a week which I've been doing for over three years. As … Continue reading What do I need now?
Cultivating Our Lives: From Seeds to Harvest
Today, I talked with my younger son, Ross who's thirty-five. Over the past year, I've watched his growing interest in land and eco systems, specifically the history of types of indigenous trees and plants that grew on my childhood farm, purchased by my great-grandparents in the 1800s. For the first time, Ross has planted twenty … Continue reading Cultivating Our Lives: From Seeds to Harvest
Real and Imagined
Back in the fall, I was walking to the park with my three-year old grandson, Baker. A bird flew passed us and Baker said to me, "Grammy, birds are my friends." I looked at the delight on his face, watching the bird headed to a nearby branch of a crepe myrtle tree. "How do you … Continue reading Real and Imagined
Ghosted: Online Dating
I started this online dating journey a year ago. I've taken note of all the guys I've encountered on this path. Some I've only messaged on the site; some I've known through phone conversations and texting; others, I've met in person for coffee, hikes, dinner or drinks. So much about this new way of dating … Continue reading Ghosted: Online Dating
A Life Without Regret: Embracing the Journey
This past week I had the privilege of being with a long-time friend who is dealing with an incurable cancer. She's been treated with every chemotherapy available but still the cancer returns. I consider it a privilege because she included me in the limited time she has as her life is narrowing in. She's getting … Continue reading A Life Without Regret: Embracing the Journey
Connie Rosser Riddle 