Country Life – Then and Now

Even though we’re beginning to get a little rain, the yard is beautiful with its covering of different kinds of leaves — the different colors are outstanding.  Yes, I know beauty is in the eyes of the beholder but. . . . . Look deep in the background of the Cypress picture — its needles…

Lots of perks go with the writing of this article, but feedback is one of the very best.  I love stories that readers send me and the one I received last week is just too good not to share and it’s definitely country living.  It came from a reader in Rainsville – some 15 miles…

Recently I read a book entitled Grits is Groceries . . . and other facts of southern life, written by Darrell Huckaby – a Georgia author/educator.  Mr. Huckaby mentioned mama-isms in his book and wondered when they went out of vogue.  He thought it was about the same time the Andy Griffith Show started being…

Last week a lady called in regard to this article telling me she remembered her grandmother talking about playing a game called “Hull Gull” and she had not thought of the word in years and years.  It’s nice to hear that Country Living sparks a memory for the readers.  This conversation just reminded me of…

Built in 1895, if this house could talk imagine all the stories it could tell.  Births, deaths, storms,  and reunions.  The sills (underneath) are 12×12″ hand-hewn white oak and the studs are 4×4″ undressed pine lumber.  When we were renovating, thirty years ago, a man who had been born here in 1897 came to visit…

  About the hatching of eggs: Eggs of a canary hatch in 14 days a hen in 21 days” ducks and geese 28 days Mallard 35 days parrots and ostriches 42 days potato bug 7 days It all was in God’s plan as these numbers are divisible by seven Each watermelon has an even number…

It was a day to forget, the mower was in the shop and this place looked like nobody lived here. At 85 years old John can’t last long with the push mower. Last week’s article was ready to send and I tried, but would you believe Times-Journal received a blank page?  After endless struggling, finally,…

The idea for this article came from a reader who has an interest in WWII.  The story is about my veteran, The One I Love Best and we’ve been together 68 years.  Wedded Bliss?  No way. We could have gotten a divorce several times, but neither would agree to take the children, so we just…

The ground here in the yard is brown with fallen Water Oak leaves.  As you turn in our driveway, on the left the Possum Haw is loaded with red berries. The leaves are still intact, but when they drop the Possum Haw will be showy.  Looking to the right, the multi-colored bark of the stately…