Blooming Memories



The photo above is my lilac bush in bloom this week. Every Spring when it blooms, it reminds me of visits to my Grandmother Monson's cozy home in Hale, MO. Her house was surrounded by life of all kinds: kids, grand kids, birds, bugs, and every fragrant plant imaginable. Grandmother had the greenest of green thumbs and was always planting, pruning, weeding and harvesting the bounty of her many gardens. She had myriads of flowers, vines, fruit-bearing trees and bushes, and vegetables of every genus. Standing by her side at the stove, as she stirred a batch of peach preserves or steamed Mason jars full of tasty green beans, I felt connected to her and to my family's history.

***

Momala's Book Club Update: My friend, B.D. Tharp's novel "Feisty Family Values," has sold out of its first publishing run in just under two months! Due to this matter, the publisher has decided to do a second print run. This is really good news. If you haven't gotten a copy of the book yet, you can find one at all the Wichita bookstores, Amazon, or your local library. It's a great read!

***

Two of my best buds from church, Conner Coldwell and Sadie Lungren, came by this afternoon to play with the new kittens. It's so fun to watch people interact with the babies, and vice versa. Socks' offspring have just reached the playful and cuddly stage, so they love it when people come over to play. Ah, to be a young feline...or a young anything, for that matter.

***

Cowley County Writers Guild and Ark City Public Library are celebrating April as National Poetry Month by hosting a Poetry Readaround at 6 p.m. this Thursday, April 15 (Tax Day!) This event is open to anyone: writer, poet or just downright-fun-party-person. Come and bring a poem, original or your favorite, or just come to listen and support. It doesn't even have to be a poem, if that's not your thing. See you there!

***

Exercise Update: I did three disco aerobic workouts last week and three hand-weight calisthenic sets. My tummy muscles are starting to tighten.

***

Notable Quote:

"There's no money in poetry, but then there's no poetry in money either."--Robert Graves

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Meet Your Neighbor

Image
Note: I wrote this article several months ago for another publication. Although he was born and raised in a small town in New England, Grant Williams has come home to Arkansas City. The admitted baseball fanatic is a devoted husband to the lovely Bernice and father to four grown children, stepfather to three. Williams has traveled the world and worked a multitude of jobs only to settle here after retirement to live the thoughtful life of a poet and author. He speaks humbly of his work, listens closely and watches life unfold around him. And then, he writes. Every day. A large portion of Grant’s poems are about love, particularly his devotion to his wife, but he has penned volumes about sports, family, children, issues and our town. Williams seems to absorb emotion from life and the activity around him, and then processes it into meaningful tomes. “I love to write because I love to read,” the author muses. “Once you have something in print, you have to say, ‘I’m an author.’ You have to
Read more

Summer of Simplicity: Lift Someone Up

Image
  Hebrews 10:23-24 (KJV) Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: In a hurry today? Me, too. With an endless To Do list, I don't know how I'll get it all done. If you're facing this kind of day, week or month, let me suggest something...helping others. When you're lifting someone up, shouldering their burdens, being the hands and feet of Christ, you are fulfilling God's commandments. He is so pleased with your service, our Heavenly Father will send others to lighten your load and may even reorganize your priorities. Life can be exhausting, and there are those who would spend all their time tearing others down, instead of laying a foundation of love. As you encourage those you meet, our Savior will send encouragers in your direction. Slow down and look around. Someone needs a hand up. God's time is unhurried. Why not try
Read more

Bravely Onward

Image
The day I started work at Rainbows United, I took the exit ramp onto K96 and encountered this billboard. Somehow, I felt that God had placed it there just for me. I know that Fidelity Bank in Wichita has a publicity campaign that encourages business owners and citizens to fight back against the perilous economic times we are facing. Our business had closed three months before, and I really needed a job. The billing specialist position at RUI came as a complete surprise. I knew their reputation and jumped in with both feet. Still, I was nervous. Could I do it? Was I strong enough? The billboard is still there, and I ask myself the same question every morning. What will I do? *** Notable Quote: "To go back is nothing but death; to go forward is fear of death, and life everlasting beyond it. I will yet go forward."--John Bunyan
Read more