Tobacco Barns I was born in 1982, or as my seven-year-old calls it, the "nineteen hundred and eighties." No, you may not call it that. It wasn't that long ago. It was just the other day. It was "the eighties" - we can all agree to that, can't we? The eighties were the last decade … Continue reading Tobacco Barns
Super Power Cultivator Our neighbor gave my son a “Super Power Cultivator” for his fifth birthday. Here it is, in its Power-Concentrating Box: "How do I use it?" he asked. “Use your imagination,” she said. So, he speaks into it and tells it what superpowers he wants to gain. "I want to go faster," he … Continue reading Super Power Cultivator
Chick & Biscuit & Sean of the South What did you want to be when you grew up? A firefighter? A ballerina? President of the United States? Or maybe a rock star? A singer on the radio, in front of a crowd, belting out lyrics with everyone swooning – doesn’t that sound great?! Me, too. … Continue reading Chick & Biscuit & Sean of the South
Pollywiggle Pollywog I have a soft spot for amphibians, partly because they're so soft and vulnerable. Ask me my favorite animal, and I'll say "salamander." Unless I'm holding your Jello-boned cat; then he's my favorite. Or watching the blonde squirrel in my yard; then she's my favorite. But all the other times, it's salamanders. They're … Continue reading Pollywiggle pollywog
Gone Wild I like art. My husband says he did not know this about me, like it’s some nasty habit I’ve developed since we married almost ten years ago, or the harbinger of a mid-life crisis. But that’s not true. I've always liked art. In fact, a piece of art features in the story of … Continue reading Art Gone Wild
Hazard Lights Last week, after dropping off my first grader at school, I swung by a local produce stand for fresh strawberries. The U-Pick fields aren’t open yet, but you can buy them by the tray if you get there early enough. I wanted some for my preschooler’s classroom and more for sharing with friends, … Continue reading Hazard Lights
The Games They Played My son received a barrel of toy soldiers at his fifth birthday party this past weekend. He and his almost-seven-year-old brother have been playing with them for three days. These are our first army men, and I'm not ready. There are two opposing armies - one dark green, the other light … Continue reading The Games They Played
The Joys and Hazards of Pantsing I learned a new word this week, "pantsing." Before I tell you what it means, let me share a horror story. I heard it twenty years ago, during my new-hire teacher orientation (I taught high school science for eleven years). The workshop leader was a veteran math teacher who … Continue reading Pantsing
Adults Only I like my insurance agent. He gives that personal touch - you know, like I'm his only client, his only concern. He looks me in the eye. He knows my name. He asks about the kids. He never scolds me or rolls his eyes when I ask redundant questions or need it all … Continue reading Adults Only
Fortune 40 Today, I had my annual check-up. Except, I've only been once before, so annual is a strong word to use here. Up until now, I'd stuck my tongue out at the doctor, not for the doctor. Well-checks, exams, and preventative medicine were for other people, not for me. But forty isn't young. It … Continue reading Fortune 40
Jessi Waugh Writer 