My Portfolio

The most important thing I have ever done, I did when I was still quite young myself.  I was a married girl of 20 when I became a mother.  I was separated from my husband at 21 and divorced at 22.  I then became a single parent.  Though I did the...

This months' story prompt is: "If you could go back and relive any part of your life what would you do differently and why? I've heard people say "I wouldn't do ANYTHING different, because it made me who I am". NOTHING? Really? Sure we learn from our mistakes and foolish behaviors,...

The November Story Prompt is a tuff one . If you could go back in your life and change something what would you change. I read my cousin Millard Don Carriker’s story and I pretty much agree with him. Where would I be now if I changed anything. If I would...

During the darker days of “The War” (to the “elders” of today’s society that always means “WWII.”) gasoline was stringently rationed. Drivers were issued “A,” “B,” or “C” decals to put onto their windshields and a rationing book filled with coupons that could be redeemed only on a week by week...

I wish I studied harder in school! My folks were not pushy in the "gotta get ultra educated" department when my brother and I were groing up.  Both of them came from blue-collar working-man families and they really didn't understand what it was like to be college educated and how that...

Boot camp completed, I was sent to Morehead Teachers College in Kentucky. The course work was generally Math &Science. After Graduation, With two other Sailors, we were  sent to an Army Base in New Jersey.We blended in wearing Army clothing, taking field trips etc. Our purpose of being with the Army...

One of the greatest rewards of having lived a long life is the perspective gained from experience. In every culture since the dawn of man the elders shared their wisdom with the young. Sharing this wisdom not only enriches the lives of those with whom it is shared but also provides...

Family Pickle is as fast and frenetic as New York itself, a show about a family dynasty that flourishes in clamor, a maelstrom of histrionics, laughter, and sandwiches so big that “if you can put your mouth around them then we made a mistake,” says Sandy, who—with wife, Marian—runs the Carnegie...

Wishing one could go back in time and relive some part of one’s life is tempting,  but with a little reflection it is easy to see that changin  perhaps even a small decision or action is loaded with unintended, life changing consequences.   The poet Robert Frost made this point clearly in...

"The best I could do is the best I could do" comes to mind when attempting to answer the question posed. Hindsight is always 20-20, and I can't imagine anyone not wanting to do something over again if given the opportunity, but we know we cannot go back in time; therefore,...

Last Sunday I spent the day baking the first of my Christmas baking - 9 Christmas cakes. I started the process a month ago by digging out my special Christmas fruit jar and filling it with dried currants, sultanas, raisins glace cherries, candied orange peel, chopped dried apricots, glace peaches and...

   Here are some memories for you:                 During wwII, while living at grandparents house, at 7 yrs. old;  I wanted a dog, so seeing a huge conch shell being used as a door stop-I got the idea to make that my dog and put a rope around it and drug...

I was born December 23 so my first cake was a home made red velvet cake made by Mom.  White icing thank you - not that nasty cream cheese stuff.  Always decorated with red and green icing as well.... Decorations on top of the cake would change over the years depending...

A couple of miles west of my home town, Caney KS, after crossing an old iron truss bridge spanning the muddy Caney River on a narrow asphalt country road there was a crossroads.  To the north the road ran a few miles and then fizzled out.  To the south it turned into...

Although we never lived near the rest of our family, my mother always made an effort to connect with them durig the holiday season - which was a great thing, since my grandmother was the best cook in the entire universe. (Go ahead; put up your dukes. I stand by my...

If you  know me,  you know I love to cook, and I'm an eater.   I keep with tradition for the most part, but every few years I have to mix it up with a new side dish or dessert.  My favorite thing on the table at Thanksgiving or Christmas is...

Yes, Bo, I remember the Farm very well. I remember spending the night with Grandmother and Grandaddy Anthony and then coming home telling my mom about the awful stuff Grandmother had me take before I went to bed. Turns out it was castor oil. I don't remember any sleep overs after...

Hey Barb ! It's little Dwight Beau (Bo) Hall ! Sydna was telling me about you wanting to share memories we have about the country -  H.C. / Grannie / Bill / etc. You know I lived there from about 7 to 12 years of age and you guy's visited often...

One of my earliest memories of childhood with Barbara was during the summer time when we were out of school. I don't remember how old we were. Mom and Pop both worked and I guess there was a lapse in childcare so we got to go out with Granddaddy "Pop" Dodson...

Christmas Memories Being born in Brisbane, Queensland and having always lived in Australia, I find it difficult to connect to the northern hemisphere’s images of a white and snowy Christmas. The festive season is an entirely different type of celebration in Australia, where temperatures on The Big Day can often push...