Today is Mother's Day and I think of Mama and all that she taught me. I realize, now that I'm older and a mother and grandmother, that our mothers did the best they could based on all that formed them. Mama, was born in 1923 and grew up in rural North Carolina during the Great … Continue reading My Mother, My Teacher
growing older
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
Celebrate Your Life!
Today, I'm still basking in the glow of my birthday that was Friday, March 22. How grateful I have been during my "birthday season" that began with celebrations the week before--and will continue into next week. I have the philosophy that the older you become the longer you should celebrate. At this rate, I think … Continue reading Celebrate Your Life!
Mama Stories
This time of year, I think a lot about Mama and Daddy. On February 26, 1950 they were married in a double-wedding ceremony with Mama's younger brother, Cliff and his wife. This also occurred on Daddy's thirtieth birthday. I have some pictures from that wedding at Cedar Rock Presbyterian Church--one of the many small congregations … Continue reading Mama Stories
The Gift of Time: Precious Moments with a Child
At Christmas, one of the things I gave each grandson was an "event with Grammy." This followed from asking my son, Brooks for suggestions on what to buy his boys. Brooks responded, "Give them a special time one-on-one with you." There are days during the year that I have time with each one alone--when they're … Continue reading The Gift of Time: Precious Moments with a Child
New Year’s Eve: Looking Back, Looking Forward
It's New Year's Eve, a time for looking back. When I see 2023 in Review, I ask myself these questions: What did I learn-- about myself, about others? What were my greatest challenges? What did I accomplish, and what didn't I accomplish that I'd set out to do? What were the greatest events in my … Continue reading New Year’s Eve: Looking Back, Looking Forward
Training for Pilgrimage: Getting Started
In last week's post, I introduced my idea for going on an upcoming pilgrimage-- a journey that would involve a lot of hiking. I ended with the plan to develop a training program to follow over the next few months to see if it's a reasonable goal for me--for the level of fitness I can … Continue reading Training for Pilgrimage: Getting Started
Planning for Pilgrimage: Can I Do It?
Last week I talked with my friend, Judy about her recent trip with the Road Scholars to South Dakota. She's gone on multiple treks with that group that offers educational and recreationally challenging experiences for those over the age of 50. The last trip Judy had taken was right before the lockdown from Covid in … Continue reading Planning for Pilgrimage: Can I Do It?
Late Bloomers
I've been to two 50th High School Reunions in the past month: mine and John's, my boyfriend. Before each, I've looked at the annuals for our senior year. There were so many similarities in that any page of class pictures looked very much alike because we shared common hair and clothing styles in 1973. Like … Continue reading Late Bloomers
Feeling Fragile: Finding a Network of Support
Over the past week, there were three consecutive days when I felt the fragility of life, the impact of growing older. On Tuesday night, I went to the Blues Jam at the Blue Note Grill in Durham. I've been going there to dance since last November. Over that time, I've found the people to be … Continue reading Feeling Fragile: Finding a Network of Support
Connie Rosser Riddle 