December 17, 1965 Jocie here reporting from Hollyhill. It’s almost Christmas time. Yay! I love Christmas. Don’t you? We get off school. For two weeks!! Yay, again. And while we’re out of school, we get to do some fun things like haul a tree in the house and decorate it with sparkling things. We did that this afternoon. We got …
Winning Ways
God wants you to be a winner, not a whiner. Joel Osteen Are you a winner? Well, maybe not when it comes to having your name drawn out of a pot to win a prize. I’m not that. I sometimes joke and say that if there are only two entries in a drawing and one of them is mine, the …
So Many Questions
“How do I create something out of nothing? I think it is by questioning.” ~Amy Tan Last post I shared about how I go about naming my characters. That includes animal characters too. I posted a picture of my sister’s cat and you all suggested some neat names for him. Most of you thought he was so pretty that he must …
What’s in a Name?
They say the test of literary power is whether a man can write an inscription. I say, ‘Can he name a kitten?’ ~Samuel Butler Have you had the pleasure of naming some kittens or cats? Maybe a dog? Or best of all, a sweet new baby in your arms? With those babies, you have months and months to debate the …
That Impossible Christmas Perfection Deadline
“Each day comes bearing its own gifts. Untie the ribbons.” – Ruth Ann Schabacker. December is here. That means Christmas is right around the corner with all the traditional activities. There’s the reason for the season – the birth of the Savior. Shepherds in the field watching their flocks. Angels singing on a starry night. A baby born in a stable …
Memories and Love on a Christmas Tree
Some Christmas tree ornaments do more than glitter and glow, they represent a gift of love given a long time ago. ~Tom Baker My son and a couple of my granddaughters came to visit Saturday night and helped me decorate my Christmas tree. I’m not a tree in every room big Christmas decorator. And usually I’m not this early with …
Everyday Blessings
When I sent out my newsletter last week, I asked for you to name some of your everyday blessings. But only if you wanted to do so. I’ve gotten many that say family. I can certainly identify that. Other mentioned the love of the Lord. That can be an every day thing for sure. And many of us named our …
Adventures with Frankie
When we adopt a dog or any pet, we know it is going to end with us having to say goodbye, but we still do it. And we do it for a very good reason: They bring so much joy and optimism and happiness. They attack every moment of every day with that attitude. ~W. Bruce Cameron This weekend I …
The Persimmon Pucker
So you’re a country kid taking a walk in the autumn months and come across a persimmon tree. Older and wiser people are walking along with you and tell you that you have to try tasting one of those persimmons. You note their smile, but you’re a kid and you do want to try everything at least once, right? So …
Kentucky Book Fair Memories
A book is a gift you can open again and again. ~Garrison Keillor One of my favorite things to do as a writer is talk to readers and other writers. And one of the best times to do that is at a book fair or festival. The Kentucky Book Fair is one of the best in our state. This year …








