Readers make Blogging Fun One of the best things about blogging is getting to know you readers through your comments. You are such an encouraging community for me. Writers spend a lot of time in “solitary confinement” while digging stories out of their heads. Of course, we’re not totally alone. We have all those characters yanking on our imaginations trying …
Old Houses and Ghosts
March 24, 1965 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill, Kentucky. It’s finally getting to be spring in Hollyhill. And boy, are we all ready for it! The March flowers are blooming on the hill on Mr. Crutcher’s farm next door. He says there used to be a house there, but it got torn down and the pieces carried off to …
Life Can Be Messy
When life is too easy for us, we must beware or we may not be ready to meet the blows which sooner or later come to everyone, rich or poor. (Eleanor Roosevelt) For the rainbow to appear in the sky, there has to be rain. Storms come in all our lives. Little dashes of rain sometimes and then at other …
No Mystery about Spring, Tortoises and Winners
Spring is Springing! You may still be seeing snow out your window, but if so, just turn your eyes to the calendar instead. It says right on there that March 20 is spring!! And I’m ready to believe it even if winter isn’t. As Doug Larson says in this quote, “Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a …
Toads, Warts, and Twins
March 17, 1965 Jocie Brooke here, reporting from Hollyhill. And whew! Am I tired. We had a day off school today and I volunteered to help out the Hearndons by keeping their three-year-old twins. Wow! Have you ever tried to keep up with two three-year-olds? I mean I’ve taken care of Stephen. He’s my sister’s little boy and now that …
Joy, Happiness and Just Plain Fun
Fun with Mystery Photos I hope you’ve been having fun with my mystery photos.Wednesday’s photo stumped most of you. Maybe because it was sort of fuzzy after I snipped out the little bit to try to trick you. Take one last guess and then look down a few paragraphs to see the “rest of the picture.” A New Photo …
The Mystery of Ideas
A New Mystery Photo Are you ready for a new mystery photo? Here it is to the left. Leave a guess to have an entry in my book giveaway. If you’ve guessed on the other posts, guessing here will give you another entry. You don’t have to guess right. Just guess. I’ve really enjoyed all your comments and guesses. Sunday’s …
To Be or Not To Be a Princess
March 10, 1965 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Main Street, Hollyhill, Kentucky. Did you ever want to be a princess? Like in the fairytales. A Cinderella or Snow White. But you know, when you think about it, those two had a pretty rough time. Cinderella had to sleep in the ashes and talk to mice, and Snow White had to …
Mystery Photos in Spring
“Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” (Neil Armstrong) Do you like mysteries? I like reading them. Not sure I’d actually want to be involved with one although when I was a kid I imagined being like the Hardy Boys and solving all sort of mysteries. Now I’m happy when I can solve the …
Mystery Photo Contest – New Chance to Win
You know I just remembered last week that I’ve celebrated every Hollyhill book with a giveaway involving a mystery photo. So I can’t let the re-release of Summer of Joy slide by without some of the same kind of fun. So here’s mystery photo number 1. I’ll post another one or maybe two on Sunday. If you want to be …