Seventeen years ago we travelled south at Easter time. The destination was Arkansas where our daughter was teaching school and Deborah, one of our daughters friends, was with us. As we drove south through Arkansas, we noticed numerous mounds of dirt in the fields. After reaching our destination, we asked about those mounds. “Oh, they’re … Continue reading Seasons
writing
Why am I doing this?
I have been doing some reflecting of late. And not much writing. I'm happy to see people are still looking at my blog, even if I haven't posted anything since Monday. Why am I writing? What purpose is there in wanting to communicate clearly, either verbally or in writing? I attended a Toastmasters meeting Wednesday … Continue reading Why am I doing this?
Excuses
Faithful readers of this blog will have noticed that I was absent for almost a week. I want to sincerely thank everyone who continued to check out the posts on this blog, even while nothing new was being added. No, I did not leave home on an extended trip, but other things came up which … Continue reading Excuses
Do it yourself customer service
A resident in a nearby home for seniors, let's call him Frank, gets around fairly well in a wheelchair. However, Frank has limited strength on one side, so he also has an electric wheelchair that he sometimes uses. Recently he discovered that a small spring assembly from one of the front wheels was missing. Presumably … Continue reading Do it yourself customer service
A Closer Walk
This will be my 303rd post since I began blogging 15 months ago. I believe it’s time to reflect on why I am doing this and where I’m going with it. My original intentions were threefold: 1) to be a witness of the old Anabaptist faith in an era when the Christian faith no longer … Continue reading A Closer Walk
This blog’s first anniversary
June 13 was the first anniversary of this blog, a milestone that suggests a need to reflect on what I am doing here and where I want to go. As a side note, June 13 was also the date of our daughter's fourteenth wedding anniversary. That is an event much more worthy of celebration. It brought … Continue reading This blog’s first anniversary
Don’t quit before you’re done
Sixty years ago, Ted Geisel was challenged to write and illustrate a book for six- and seven-year olds, using only 225 words. Nine months and 500 revisions later, The Cat in the Hat was ready for publication. The Cat in the Hat actually uses 236 words and is 1629 words in length. Of the 236 … Continue reading Don’t quit before you’re done
Spirit-led writing
The biggest publishing sensation during my younger years was On the Road by Jack Kerouac. He had taken a long roll of paper, aligned the top edge of the roll on the platen of his typewriter and never stopped typing until he had filled the roll from top to bottom. A publisher decided to take … Continue reading Spirit-led writing
To build and to plant
Starting this blog was an attempt to get myself motivated to do more writing, and to improve my communication skills. I want to be able to write like C. S. Lewis or G. K. Chesterton. Since I'm already 71, that may be beyond my reach. Still, I don't want to set my sights any lower. … Continue reading To build and to plant
What cats are good for
Here on the flatlands the days are getting longer, the temperatures milder, and our three cats are showing signs of spring fever. Even bulky old Panda. None of our cats are purebreds, but a predominant breed is evident in each by their size, shape, coat and temperament. Panda is an all black Maine Coon cat. … Continue reading What cats are good for
Flatlander Faith 