Yep, I spent another Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday marketing my new book “The First Advent” along with my other five titles. Kathie and I attended the last county fair of the Minnesota summer in the little town of Madison which resides in the county of Lac qui Parle. I’ve always thought that was an unusual name for a county and assumed it was derived from the native American language but low and behold Google tells me they are French…..
You are all familiar with Alcoholics Anonymous often referred to simply as AA. Well I’m in need of a like organization that would be referred to as PA or Politics Anonymous. I don’t believe one exists though. I’ve been so good for so long and then yesterday I fell off the wagon! You know those political posts on Facebook they can be so cruel and degrading. I’m constantly fighting the urge to write an insult right back at them and…..
Many years ago when our family was traveling to Montana to visit relatives we camped for a night on the edge of the North Dakota Badlands near the frontier town of Medora. We spent part of the day exploring the old town and were reminded that Teddy Roosevelt spent his early years in Medora and that experience left a lasting impression on his life. His life successes can be partially attributed to those years he spent being a cowboy and…..
“You’re teachers pet. You’re teachers pet!” I can remember that was a common accusation that was hurled at I and my fellow classmates from time to time in elementary school those many years ago. Most students probably feared being categorized as a teacher’s pet. Such a nametag was probably one of the first examples of negative peer pressure to exist in our educational system. Nobody wanted to be considered a ‘teacher’s pet’. Nobody but me, that is! I am a…..
I published my first book “Children In The Outdoors”, Vol. I in 1987 and since that time I have spent a considerable amount of time sitting in booths at craft fairs, county fairs, town celebrations, etc. It’s my favorite way to market my books. If my Clinton High School math is correct that means I have had thirty-one years of booth sitting experience. So I’ve decided it’s time to vent a little. After thirty-one years having shoppers pass by my…..
We are in the middle of summer on our little acreage and the battle against nature is in full force. Unless you experience what nature can throw at you you’ll never fully understand what botanist go through attempting to bring plants to maturity. In other words gardening can be a frustrating job. I am reminded of the constant intrusion of nature every morning as I look out our living room window and watch the ‘big bully’ blue jays chase away…..
When my two brothers and sister were small it was exciting to climb into the old 49 Ford and ride into town with our folks as they tended to some business. That excursion happened occasionally during the week but for sure on Saturday night. On Saturday the car not only contained the family of six but also a can of cream and chicken eggs packed and layered in special boxes designed to transport them to the creamery so that they…..
In a couple weeks I will be speaking at an “80’s and older group” at the Clinton High School All School Reunion. I have never spoken to a group with the audience clustered in their 80’s and 90’s before. Heck, there may even be a centenarian or two in the crowd! I’m a little concerned because the closest I’ve come to such an experience is singing to people in our local nursing home. I’ve never had much luck cracking a…..
When one is a teacher and a struggling author opportunities arise where one receives requests to speak to various organizations. Over the years I have given a variety of speeches to a wide variety of audiences. One of my early speech memories occurred when the Junior class of Wheaton High School requested that I speak at their junior/senior prom banquet. I pretended I had kept a diary of my own junior prom experiences and read portions of it to them……
I’m not a mechanic. I can’t fix things. If I had had the opportunity to choose my talents before I was born I probably wouldn’t have chosen it anyway. Can you imagine choosing a talent with an ending that sounds like ‘ick’! Not impressive at all. But as my life has progressed there have been many times when I wished I had the talent of a mechanic. I was reminded of that fact this spring as our dining room fluorescent…..