Today is Valentine's Day and the time of year I go back to Mama and Daddy's letters to remind me of their special relationship. I love pulling out the box of letters and seeing their handwriting as they maintained their steady flow of communication in the late forties. It wasn't easy to pick up a … Continue reading Valentines: Characteristics of a Lasting Love
farm life
Old and Young: The Brush of Time
I think my post last week about what it would be like on Michigan's Mackinac Island in winter, must have brought our snow storm this week in central NC. But then I guess I really can't take credit for our snowfall that took the kids out of school for days and has left some shaded … Continue reading Old and Young: The Brush of Time
The White Christmas of Childhood
Christmas is a season of remembering. The older we become the more we work to recall those earliest memories that have grown fuzzy and faded over time. As I watched the local evening news this week, every night included the weatherman's predictions for snow and if we'd have a White Christmas in central North Carolina. … Continue reading The White Christmas of Childhood
Camino Adventure: Red Car in Ramallosa
It was my eighth day of walking and I'd need to cover 16 miles starting in Oia and ending at my night's lodging in Ramallosa, Spain. When I was preparing to leave my room in Oia, I felt restless, out of sorts, and my doubting voice asked, "Can I do it another day?" I'd looked … Continue reading Camino Adventure: Red Car in Ramallosa
Cycle of Life: A Time to Plant
We're almost to mid-April and the official end of the threat of frost in central North Carolina. My grandmother consulted the Farmer's Almanac for advice on planting and now I consult with my Master Gardener, Brother-in-Law, Winslow. He recommends putting things in the ground after April 15th. To prepare for planting, I bought my seed … Continue reading Cycle of Life: A Time to Plant
Holiday Home: Christmas Past and Present
It's finally here, or already here, depending on your age and how you look at it; today is Christmas Eve. Whatever decorations we wanted to display, and presents we intended to purchase, are surely taken care of by now. Since I wasn't in the process of moving this year, I've had more time to decorate … Continue reading Holiday Home: Christmas Past and Present
New Land of Discovery: The Gift of Nature
To walk, to wander about, is to open yourself up to discovery; often the new things you find are within--new ideas, new solutions to problems; sometimes there are discoveries of physical things, of places that delight, even in your own neighborhood. That was the gift I received last Tuesday. I woke up feeling blah, my … Continue reading New Land of Discovery: The Gift of Nature
Season of Harvest
It's the beginning of Harvest Season-- that period between mid-September and the end of November that's the time for bringing in the bounty. Growing up on a farm, I was aware of the seasons of planting and harvesting, of fallow fields of winter and fresh green shoots of spring. Hearing farmers talk about their crops, … Continue reading Season of Harvest
Free to be Free
On Tuesday, our country will celebrate Independence Day, paying tribute to our hard-earned freedom made possible by men and women in uniform. It's easy to talk about freedom when you live in an area that's not threatened by war, where children can mostly play in their yards without fear, and where the people you love … Continue reading Free to be Free
To Plant a Garden
To plant a garden is to outwardly show you trust the future; you'll be around to see those seeds sprout, those plants grow. You invest in soil, fertilizer, seeds, plants, and tools to form the garden of your dreams. It's a display of the colors of your heart, the patterns of your mind, the creative … Continue reading To Plant a Garden
Connie Rosser Riddle 