Long before Take Your Daughter to Work day was established in the 1990s, my father sometimes took me to work with him back in the 1960s. He was a salesman for Wilson Meat Packing Company, and his territory was in and around Montgomery, Alabama. Back in the day, salespeople had a personal relationship with their … Continue reading Words From My Father
On this gray day in late autumn, when the Thanksgiving leftovers aren't yet finished, and Christmas decorations are still in the attic, we are sort of in limbo. That's not a bad thing when a pause is needed. Catch your breath today. Do only what's absolutely necessary before the whirlwind activities for the next festivities … Continue reading Six On Saturday: Autumn Leaves
I don’t intend for this to be the obligatory Thanksgiving blog post. I’ll try to keep it short, but maybe not so sweet. This is hard to admit, but I’ve had an item on my To-Do list for months. It’s writing Thank You notes. I made a list of people to whom I need to … Continue reading Confessions of a Thank You Note Slacker
This month marks the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrims landing in Massachusetts. I’m sure the Coronavirus curtailed the many celebrations that were planned for 2020. With all the overshadowing goings-on of this crazy year, I’ve seen very little acknowledgment of this critical foundational event in our nation’s history. You can read the details of these … Continue reading Pilgrims’ Landing 400th Anniversary
Let’s take a look at some grasses today. By no means is this an overlooked category in the garden. Whether we are talking about beautiful lawns or ornamental species, the right or wrong selection of grass can make a big difference. It can also add interest with textures and colors. Although many environmentalists discourage traditional … Continue reading Six On Saturday: Grasses, Not Just Lawns
On this last day of October, I'm anticipating the last two months of 2020 to be better than the other ten months of this year. I suppose that's due to the good feelings elicited by holiday memories. And I'm holding on to my optimism for 2021. I'll spare you the pictures of our yard full … Continue reading Six On Saturday: Bye Bye October
I picked the wrong time to change churches. How was I supposed to know how 2020 would be when I left my old church back in the spring of 2019? My reasons for leaving are many and varied. They really don’t matter at this point. It wasn’t an easy decision since I taught a Sunday … Continue reading Timing. Some Things We Don’t Choose
A thunderstorm woke me up this morning, and we’re supposed to have showers throughout the day. That’s a good thing since the garden was getting pretty dry. I don’t wait until Saturday to take pictures to share with you, so let it rain! I had already planned the six flower photos to post, but I … Continue reading Six On Saturday: October Slowdown
This is about as political as I’m going to get. I don’t use social media as a secular partisan platform because I prioritize my citizenship in the Kingdom of God over this fallen, earthly realm. As an ambassador representing that unseen realm, I do what I can – what I see needs to be done, … Continue reading Will Your Vote Count?
I wrote this title with my tongue in my cheek. When you scroll through the pictures, you'll see why. It's not that we don't have any trees that turn lovely shades of gold, orange, and red each autumn. There are some if you look hard enough. We even have some with leaves turning brown that … Continue reading Six On Saturday: Fall Foliage
October still has cheery flowers in the garden, since our warm weather persists late into fall. In spite of hurricane winds, these variagated lantana play well with pink Encore azaleas in my southwest corner. If I pull back from the close up, you can see the same corner in a before and after shot. The … Continue reading Six On Saturday: Life Goes On
I originally published this post in early February 2020, before we were fully aware of what the new Covid-19 virus would mean to all of us. I decided to share it again, in case you missed it the first time around. Infectious diseases can be scary, especially one that’s new and has no vaccination. When … Continue reading Are You a Carrier?
The Gulf Coast of Alabama may not have much to offer if you're looking for autumn color in our trees, but the flowers of fall can be pretty spectacular. Today, I'm featuring reds in my yard that are showing now. This is my first dahlia. Why have I never grown these before? I love the … Continue reading Six On Saturday: Fall Reds
First, let me preface this post by saying my husband and I are fine. Our house had no damage. The pictures I’m sharing with you of our yard show minor disruptions, compared to the destruction many other people are suffering as a result of this storm. I feel a touch of “survivor guilt” when I … Continue reading SIX ON SATURDAY: HURRICANE SALLY AFTERMATH
We've had plenty of rain in our part of the USA this summer. Now hurricane season adds more moisture to the soil - but I'm not complaining. It's better than dealing with drought, unless we get hit by a big one, as Louisiana has suffered recently. Keep them in your prayers and help if you're … Continue reading Six On Saturday: Soggy Summer
Today is September 1, 2020. August seemed about three months long. This year has seemed to go on forever, hasn’t it? We’ve been through a lot this year already, and there are four more months to go. Perhaps this year has been hard for you and your family. It has been for us. Think of … Continue reading When Does Summer End?
I must confess to envying the pictures of English gardens that abound in a riot of colors and blossoms. I see large swaths of your flower beds that seem to have many things blooming at the same time. They are spectacular. With a very long growing season, my Coastal South garden spreads thin its blooms … Continue reading Six on Saturday: Late Summer in the Deep South
Among my many disappointments during this Coronavirus pandemic, the Blue Lake Christian Writers’ Retreat for 2020 was cancelled. For the past several years, it has been instrumental in moving me along in my writing journey. Our director Marilyn Turk and our leadership team for the retreat inaugurated the Living Water Awards contest in 2019. I … Continue reading Can I brag a little?
