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 tell 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
A Love Letter to Oysters Note: A version of this essay won Second Prize in the 2023 Carolina Woman Writing Contest This post is a love letter to oysters. But you should just read it to yourself. Oysters have mouths but no ears; they won't hear a thing. We hosted an oyster roast over the … Continue reading A Love Letter to Oysters
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
Percolating Poetry “It’s time for the Percolator. It’s time for the Percolator.” I was twenty-something. It was the early 2000s, and I was in Raleigh, NC at a nightclub called Visions (long since extinct). The DJ took center stage, and the crowd gathered 'round. "Come on up to do 'The Percolator,'" she said, and I … Continue reading Percolating Poetry
Jessi Waugh Writer 