Sapelo Sister

Whitney Houston's "I Love the Lord," with the Georgia Mass Choir

2012-02-12T16:02:00.003-05:00

Goodbye, George

2012-01-27T08:52:00.000-05:00

George Walker repairs a seine net. What do I say about George? He talked fast, moved fast and worked hard for his family, his church and his community. He did things his own way. He loved his Lula. I met George Walker on my first trip to Sapelo Island in 2001. He and his then-9-year-old granddaughter, Stephanie, gave me a tour of the island's north end in an old raggedy van. Stephanie drove.

Remembering Helen

2012-01-18T13:37:00.002-05:00

Sapelo has lost one of its matriarchs, Helen Dixon Walker. She was always kind to me and my family, especially my daughter, Courtney, who is away at college. "How's my girl?" Helen would ask about Courtney whenever I'd see her on the ferry. Helen was very helpful to me when I was writing my book, Sapelo Island's Hog Hammock. (In fact, there are beautiful pictures of Helen on pp. 81-82.). We

Save the Date!

2012-01-04T08:59:00.001-05:00

The first ever Sweet Tooth Festival -- a celebration of all things confectionary -- will be from 2-6 pm, Feb. 19 at Black Lion, 10605 Park Road in Charlotte, N.C. The event will feature the finest regional purveyors of cupcakes, candies, cookies, beverages and sweet treats. Hope to see you there!

Mama's Radio

2011-12-29T21:30:00.002-05:00

I recently brought home one of my mother’s radios. It looks old-fashioned, but it’s actually a replica (it has a cassette player on the side). I put it on an end table in my living room, and that end of the couch is now my favorite place to sit in the evenings while I’m listening to NPR. I snuggle up with a hot cup of tea, my grandmother’s quilt and a comfy pillow to prop my feet. My

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T22:54:00.003-05:00

There's no better Christmas gift than being blessed with the opportunity to go back home and attend Christmas Sunday service at the old family church, Bethel AME Zion in Kannapolis, N.C. This is where I would run and play while my Grandma Madie helped the other church ladies to prepare communion or straighten up the church for the next day's service. My mother was a church lady, too. She sang

For my loved ones...

2011-11-28T22:14:00.000-05:00

I am grateful to God for placing people in my life who truly and sincerely care for me and my family. You know who you are, and I hope you know I love you, too, and cherish you with all my heart. Thank you for being supportive and encouraging, for listening and for believing in us.

Quote of the Day

2011-11-08T20:47:00.000-05:00

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." -- Steve

The Danger of a Single Story

2011-10-30T18:43:00.002-04:00

Sand Dollar Boxes

2011-10-27T13:07:00.000-04:00

My new hand-painted sand dollar boxes are the perfect places for hiding your memories, dreams and secrets. Sand dollars are like natural sculptures. When I first moved to the island, I would try to gather as many as I could. Now I pick up a few each time I go because I know they will always be there.

Artist Dates with Kindred Spirits

2011-10-23T22:22:00.006-04:00

Melissa Pope-Scott's art tells stories. My sister, Rhonda, recently visited me on Sapelo Island for an entire week. We decided before she got here that we would devote the entire week to "artist dates" and creative reflection. Both of us are still talking about our time together. One day, we went to St. Helena Island, S.C., and spent time at the Red Piano, Too, where we both have some of our

I Speak for Myself

2011-09-10T22:51:00.000-04:00

Every now and then I run across stories about Sapelo Island on the Internet, and there is usually only one source -- sometimes two -- claiming to represent the island's residents and its many "descendants" across the nation and around the world. As a journalist, I will be the first person to stand up for freedom of speech. I do not object to someone expressing their beliefs. But I want to make

The Aerial Dancer

2011-09-06T20:53:00.000-04:00

Susan Murphy has achy knees, and says she truly feels her age when she's walking on the ground. But in the air...she soars. She's free. Thank you, Susan, for giving some of the Sapelo Sisters a taste of your talent. I only wish my camera hadn't run out of memory before I could record the entire performance. I guess my camera was overflowing with sweet memories from the weekend retreat on

The Trumpet Flower

2011-08-30T08:49:00.001-04:00

Our latest garden obsession is our Trumpet Flower. My husband and I figured out that the best time to view the blooms is at night. So we recently jumped out of bed at 3 a.m. to see the flowers. Our neighbors might think we're weird, but it was worth it, and I had no problem going back to sleep.

Sapelo Sisters 10th Anniversary

2011-08-17T10:26:00.002-04:00

This year's retreat will be our last Click HERE to read the article I wrote after my first visit to Sapelo Island in 2001. Order a Sapelo Sisters T-shirt, tote bag or other island-inspired gifts HERE. This year the Sapelo Sisters celebrate 10 years of friendship and fellowship on Sapelo Island, Georgia. The 10th anniversary retreat will be the finale for what has been a wonderful

The Captain in His Garden

2011-08-08T12:50:00.000-04:00

For our sixth wedding anniversary, I presented my husband with a portrait I did of him in his straw hat. He wears it when he rides his tractor and works in his garden. I love that hat, and the man beneath it.

"Porn for Women"

2011-08-02T19:35:00.001-04:00

My favorite refrigerator magnet has bit the dust. First, the magnet fell off some years ago, so I propped it in the kitchen window over the sink. It's fallen in the dish water so many times that the words have begun to fade and run. What does the magnet say? "No woman ever shot a man while he was doing the dishes." By the way, if men washing dishes turns you on, check out the "Porn for Women"

City Retreat

2011-06-05T14:15:00.000-04:00

At our house on Sapelo Island, the television in our living room is on nearly 24 hours a day. But at our house in Brunswick, we have no television. So when we're there, our family passes the time by reading, listening to music, playing board games and actually talking to each other. Imagine that! It's funny how our Brunswick house in the city has become a retreat from the chores and noise of our

Remembering Phoebe

2011-04-26T19:50:00.001-04:00

After I married my husband, one of the things I discovered about him was his love for Phoebe Snow's music. He had a couple of her CDs, and it became a tradition for us to listen to her whenever we would take road trips. I shared with him a memory of a radio interview I heard with her many years ago, and how down-to-earth she seemed. Rest in peace, Ms. Snow, and thanks for the melodies.

Dayclean on Easter Sunday 2011

2011-04-25T23:40:00.001-04:00

Whenever I need to clear my mind, I go to the beach. The sounds and the breeze soothe my nerves, and I'm always reminded of how small my problems are in the grand scheme of the universe. This past Easter Sunday, I went to the beach alone to watch the sunrise, a reminder that every day is a new beginning.

Art in the Park

2011-04-19T20:38:00.000-04:00

Belated kudos to the McIntosh Art Association, for another great "Art in the Park," at the "43rd Annual Blessing of the Fleet" in Darien, Ga. The spring weather was beautiful, the smooth jazz provided the perfect soundtrack for viewing art under the trees. I had a pleasant surprise when I ran into the talented ceramic artist, Ahmad Qadri of Rainmaker Studio in Commerce, Ga. He taught a two-day

Sister-friends

2011-04-17T00:09:00.001-04:00

My godmother, Lura (top left), was one of my mother's best friends from childhood. Doti (top right), was one of my mother's best friends in the last few years of her life. Both women, along with many others, helped my family through the darkest days of my mother's illness. Sometimes, I would sit back and listen to them laugh and talk with each other. It wasn't hard to see that there were many

"Fighting with a Smile"

2011-04-13T23:51:00.000-04:00

The funeral service for my mother was beautiful. The eulogy was titled "Fighting with a Smile," because my mother always managed to smile even in the midst of pain and suffering. Sitting on the front pew of the church, I was strengthened by the knowledge that all of our loved ones were behind us. Many were with us in spirit. The service ended with God Has Smiled on Me. Indeed He has. I will

Remembering Mama Dianne

2011-04-07T15:00:00.005-04:00

Dianne Campbell Johnson, 65, of Concord, N.C., passed away on Wednesday, April 6, 2011, at her home, surrounded by her family. Dianne was born on March 10, 1946, in Concord, N.C., the daughter of Harry Alex Campbell and Kate "Polly" Irene Russell Campbell. Her father passed away when Dianne was a very young girl, so she was reared by her mother and her loving stepfather, Dan McCree. She

Today's Quote

2011-03-17T20:11:00.002-04:00

This is one my mother's favorites... "I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow human being let me do it now. Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again." -- Stephen Grellet

A Letter from Sapelo

2011-02-03T22:14:00.006-05:00

I've been going through my mother's genealogy papers and memorabilia, and found the letter (e-mail) I sent to the Sapelo Sisters after I first moved to the island. I've included an excerpt: Dear Sapelo Sisters and friends, I've survived my first week as a resident of Sapelo Island. So far, I've run down the battery on a car and I got a truck stuck in a ditch. I've been bitten by 1,316

Kakenya's Dream

2011-01-30T01:00:00.003-05:00

Today's Word: "Ferry-itis"

2010-12-31T14:51:00.000-05:00

ferry-itis n That sick feeling one gets while one is speeding down Georgia Highway 99, at the moment one realizes one is gonna miss the last ferry to Sapelo Island. (Not to be confused with "Sapelo Fever," the sick feeling one gets when one is missing the island, its food and its people.)

"Sapelo" by Larry Jon Wilson

2010-10-22T12:45:00.000-04:00

Quote

2010-10-10T21:50:00.002-04:00

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. -- Henri Louis Bergson

Something Supernatural

2010-10-02T23:16:00.001-04:00

I've always enjoyed a good scary story. Back in the day, I read everything Stephen King wrote, and on one occasion, after reading Amityville Horror, my father had to stay up with me all night long. That was the scariest book I'd ever read...up to that point in my life, at least. Nowadays, I'm more horrified by the world of the living than I am the dead. Every once in awhile, though, I still

Quote

2010-09-30T20:33:00.000-04:00

She is a friend of mind. She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. It's good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind. From Beloved, by Toni Morrison

Lifeline

2010-09-27T19:08:00.001-04:00

Lifeline from Andres Salaff on Vimeo.

Honoring Our Teachers

2010-09-16T11:02:00.001-04:00

On Saturday, Sept. 18, Hog Hammock Public Library will honor all of the teachers who helped shape the lives of Sapelo Island's young people. If the day goes as planned, the teachers will leave the island knowing that they are loved and appreciated for all their work and for the sacrifices they made to teach here. I think it's important to give thanks, although sometimes I admit I slack off and

Honoring a Hometown Hero

2010-07-18T16:36:00.000-04:00

I don’t know all the rules and don’t understand every call, nevertheless, football is my all-time favorite sport to watch. A new season is just around the corner, and while I love my Florida Gators, I’ll reluctantly confess that most of my attention these days is on the Miami Hurricanes. Number 57, Allen Bailey, is the reason. The defensive lineman is a 2006 graduate of McIntosh County

New Artwork

2010-07-14T00:27:00.000-04:00

My art is now available at "The Shops at 107 Broad, " next to Waterfront Wine and Gourmet in Historic Downtown Darien, Georgia. Stop by and see what's new.

Blackberry Blues

2010-06-22T18:55:00.001-04:00

For several days I gathered blackberries growing in our yard and along the roads near our house. I was scratched and scraped and bitten by ants and mosquitoes, but it was worth the work. I took them home, washed them and froze them, in anticipation of a visit from my sister, father and nephew. I was going to bake a blackberry cobbler. So when they arrived, I pulled out the berries and put the

In the Garden

2010-05-10T10:38:00.001-04:00

Early on Saturday mornings, I love to sit in the shade of our back porch, sipping hot tea, listening to the birds, watching the cats play and the two roosters scratch the soil for seeds or worms. I also love watching my husband in his garden. Everyday he walks the rows, checking for signs that something is

Back on Track

2010-05-06T21:10:00.001-04:00

"As long as your identity is tied to objects or the opinion of others, your life will feel unstable." -- Deepak Chopra This is challenging sometimes. It's funny how one person's cruel words or judgement of us can get to us. I had to catch myself recently when I allowed someone's opinion to knock me off balance. This person does not even know me, and doesn't even care to know me. I was unstable

No Bull

2010-04-22T08:48:00.002-04:00

Last night, I accidentally walked up on the old wild black bull who lives in the woods across the road from our house. He didn't see me, and I didn't want to surprise him. So I cleared my throat, he looked up, and then he took off running...in the other direction. Who says living on an isolated undeveloped island is boring?

"Pursue the Things You love"

2010-03-26T15:04:00.002-04:00

“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.” -- Maya Angelou

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-15T12:51:00.000-04:00

Have a happy St. Pat's Day, from a part-Irish soul sister. (Look deep down in the hidden roots of the family tree, and you'll find a hint of green!) For free Irish music downloads, click here.

New Work

2010-03-04T09:49:00.000-05:00

For those of you who live in or near Brunswick, Ga., please be sure to visit my small exhibit on the gallery wall at Brunswick-Glynn County Library, 208 Gloucester Street. Say hello if you see me running around the library.

Mom's New Accessory

2010-02-23T12:59:00.003-05:00

Mama Dianne has ALS, and can no longer use a regular computer. Her latest accessory is a Tobii computer that lets her navigate the Web, play games, compose documents, etc., all by tracking her eye movements. Watch her during her first try at typing by clicking here. We are grateful for the Carolinas Neuromuscular/ALS Clinic in Charlotte and the Jim "Catfish" Hunter Chapter of the ALS Association,

Pray the Devil Back to Hell

2010-02-15T16:30:00.001-05:00

If you're in need of a film suggestion for Women's History Month in March, I recommend Pray the Devil Back to Hell (not to be confused with the horror flick, Drag Me to Hell). Pray the Devil Back to Hell is a documentary about thousands of courageous women -- Muslim and Christian -- who played a key role in bringing peace to Liberia. (One of their tactics was a "sex strike.") The efforts of these

Cousin Jerome

2010-01-28T09:32:00.004-05:00

Sapelo Island lost a sweet treasure today. Herbert Jerome Dixon, shown in this photo with my son, Corey A.J., was known throughout the region for his beautiful, tightly coiled sweetgrass baskets. But on Sapelo Island, Jerome will also be remembered as a dedicated community volunteer, devoting many years of hard work to the Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society; as a faithful member

Sweet Dream

2010-01-27T12:09:00.000-05:00

In my dreams I dance with my mother and she leaps and twirls and stretches her arms toward heaven reminding me that one day we will dance there together.

The Winter Garden

2010-01-25T09:30:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I picked what will probably be the last cauliflower and broccoli from our winter garden. We still have plenty of cabbage and lettuce left. The sugar cane didn't survive the recent cold snap. I remember when I first got married to my Sapelo husband, how he was so horrified that I actually cooked my broccoli in the microwave instead of on the stove top. Five years later, I think he's

Philip Simmons

2010-01-06T13:27:00.003-05:00

I first learned about Philip Simmons several years ago, when the National Association of Black Journalists held its regional convention in Charleston. I took a tour of the city that weekend, and learned about Charleston's rich history from the African-American perspective. The tour guide told of Denmark Vesey's plot, the old Hanging Tree, and so much more. He also talked about Simmons and

Confessions after "Flying"

2009-12-26T14:27:00.005-05:00

Some of the Sapelo Sisters got together over the holiday to watch Flying: Confessions of a Free Woman. It is a six-part documentary film series that explores love, sex, motherhood, work, abortion, miscarriage, fertility, abuse, female circumcision, marriage, and more. Filmmaker Jennifer Fox turned the camera on herself and her friends around the world for four years to create this provocative

O Holy Night

2009-12-26T13:57:00.000-05:00

We serenaded Mama Dianne at our family gathering the week before Christmas.

On the Nightstand

2009-12-09T15:03:00.002-05:00

Just finished reading Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It was recommended by my friend Martha Bireda, who runs the Blanchard House Museum in Punta Gorda, Fla. Martha spent a day with me this summer, when she and her friend anchored a sailboat off Sapelo Island. The novel takes place in Nigeria in the 1960s, when the Ibo (Igbo) people attempted to secede from Nigeria, and

Featured Work

2009-12-01T12:37:00.002-05:00

I love creating underwater scenes and experimenting with shells, sand dollars, starfish and other objects I find on Sapelo Island's pristine beaches. This set is titled Asteroidea and Sygnathidae. It sold to a buyer on St. Simons Island, Georgia, and is made with fabric (including a beautiful gold silk that I hated to cut), paper, gold and black ink and beads. I have more underwater scenes in

Tomato Pie

2009-11-27T09:38:00.003-05:00

The Tomato Pie stole the show from the turkey and trimmings this Thanksgiving. (Sorry there's no photo. It was all gone before I could take a picture.) If you'd like to try it, here's the recipe: 1 9-inch deep pie shell, baked 2 or 3 large tomatoes, thickly sliced 2 or 3 green onions, chopped 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup sharp cheese, grated 3 slices of bacon, fried crisp salt and pepper basil

Thanksgiving

2009-11-20T08:53:00.002-05:00

This will be my first Thanksgiving away from my husband. He has to work, and I'm going to the Carolinas. That means I won't get the pleasure of watching him cook a coon -- all day long. Boil it. Rinse it off. Boil it again. Take it in the house. (Yes, the previous steps are all done outdoors.) Put it in a pan. Add sweet potatoes, onions, celery...and bake it. I'm not much of a coon eater, but I

From My List of All-Time Favorite Books

2009-11-17T14:46:00.000-05:00

"There is nothing more beautiful than a fish just out of water, its eye clear and fresh, with golden or silvery scales and beautiful blueish glints!" -- So Long A Letter by Mariama Ba Why do I love this book? The imagery. The courageous women and their struggle with religious and cultural tradition. It's a long letter, but a relatively short book (less than 100 pages) with many layers. I

Coming Home

2009-11-12T15:07:00.003-05:00

Today is a good day. Mom goes home after more than three weeks in the hospital. She's got lots of new "accessories" to help her keep living with ALS. And she's still smiling and keeping the faith and inspiring us all.

Football Highlight

2009-11-02T11:57:00.003-05:00

The score was 50-something to 0 in last week's varsity game, so the Bucs sent in the freshmen to finish the job. My son, Corey (#61), made a tackle. Final score: McIntosh County 61, Pierce County 0. (But I should add that Pierce County had an impressive band.) Below: JoJo Wynn and one of his many touchdowns for the Bucs.

Today's Word: "Faux-shine"

2009-10-28T14:53:00.002-04:00

faux-shine n a drink that contains no alcohol, yet makes you happy: I sure could use a sip of faux-shine today. faux-shinin' v to pretend to drink in the presence of drunk folk.

The Serenity Prayer

2009-10-27T16:57:00.008-04:00

I've never paid much attention to the "Serenity Prayer," but now I find that praying it over and over again helps me get through the difficult moments of my day.God, grant us serenity to accept the thingswe cannot change, courage to changethe things we can, and wisdom to knowthe difference. Amen.I know that I cannot change my mother's illness, the source of my heartbreak and sorrow, but it's

The Red Tent

2009-10-25T14:15:00.008-04:00

"My heart is a ladle of sweet water brimming over. Selah." -- from The Red Tent by Anita DiamantI work in a library, so you'd think I'd be ahead of the game in reading all the bestsellers and classics. Sadly, this is not the case. My "must-read" list of "Books I Should Have Read Already" overfloweth. My most recent reading accomplishment -- This year I read all of the Toni Morrison books I

God of Our Fathers

2009-10-23T13:06:00.003-04:00

God of our fathers, whose almighty handLeads forth in beauty all the starry bandOf shining worlds in splendor through the skiesOur grateful songs before Thy throne arise.Thy love divine hath led us in the past,In this free land by Thee our lot is cast,Be Thou our Ruler, Guardian, Guide and Stay,Thy Word our law, Thy paths our chosen way.From war’s alarms, from deadly pestilence,Be Thy strong arm

Parsonage Dedication at St. Luke

2009-10-12T09:01:00.006-04:00

The new parsonage at St. Luke Baptist Church on Sapelo Island, was dedicated in honor of God, and in memory of Deacon Fred Allen Johnson, on Sunday, October 11, 2009. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and a very touching ceremony. I know my father-in-law would have been very happy and humbled by the dedication. He was a retired ferry captain who passed away on February 14, 2008, at age 94

Parsonage Dedication at St. Luke

2009-10-12T08:41:00.007-04:00

Know Where You Are

2009-10-08T14:38:00.005-04:00

The other night, when my husband picked us up in our fishing boat, it was so dark it made my stomach knot.I trust my husband's boating skills, and have literally put my life in his hands time and time again crossing the waters to and from Sapelo. He is experienced and capable, and comes from a family of talented captains.But this darkness was thick.My eyes could not adjust to it. There was no

Going Home

2009-09-30T11:08:00.003-04:00

Sapelo Island, Ga., is only accessible by state-run ferry or private boat. The last ferry departs for Sapelo at 5:30 p.m. on weekdays, which creates a challenge for island kids who want to participate in after-school activities. My son, Corey, plays football at the high school and has practice or a game every weekday evening. When the weather is nice, my husband, Larry, usually picks us up

Gathering Conch

2009-09-29T09:10:00.003-04:00

A Visit with Polly, Sept. 5, 2009

2009-09-28T14:22:00.003-04:00

I took my mother, Dianne, to see Mama Polly at the nursing home about two weeks before Ma Polly passed away. My mother has ALS and can't speak. She showed Ma Polly the device she sometimes uses to communicate. Afterward grandma and her roommate asked me to go get them some fried chicken from KFC. I got tickled when grandma gave me $1.50 and said to "Get whatever this will get me." Of course,

Kate Irene "Polly" Russell McCree

2009-09-28T08:50:00.004-04:00

July 23, 1923 - Sept. 19, 2009Grandma Polly was laid to rest on Friday, Sept. 25, 2009, at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Kannapolis, N.C. The service was beautiful. Many thanks to KiAnna Funderburk; Jesse Bolder; our cousin, the Rev. Donald Anthony; the church pastor, Rev. Shifflet; the members of Mount Calvary who prepared the delicious dinner for the family; and all of our friends and family

Family Reunion

2009-09-22T10:05:00.003-04:00

Some of the family great-grands and great-great grands at a family reunion about five years ago.

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

2009-09-21T23:44:00.002-04:00

"I know that my Redeemer lives,He lives, who once was dead.To me in grief He comfort gives,With peace He crowns my head."Amen.

Remembering Ma Polly...

2009-09-19T14:01:00.004-04:00

Today, the Creator called home my beloved grandmother, Kate Irene McCree, known by her friends and family as "Polly." I will miss her dearly, and cherish the memories I have of her, Papa Dan, and the family gatherings at their house in Kannapolis, N.C.There is so much that could be said about Grandma Polly's life. She was colorful, to say the least, and courageous, although she would never

Cultural Day Memories

2009-09-16T12:17:00.023-04:00

The Darien Shouters perform the Ring Shout at Cultural Day 2008. Sweetgrass coiled. Peanuts boiled.Hot funnel cakes swirlas the Shouters’ dresses twirl.Feet just a-stompin’.The stick man steady thumpin’.Deep-fried this-and-that.Storytellers reaching back.Tales of slavery. Songs of praise.A glimpse of thosebittersweet “good ole days.”Clear blue sky.Headwraps piled so elegant … so high.A taste of

The Big Dipper

2009-09-15T18:28:00.003-04:00

As we rode in our fishing boat the other night,the Big Dipper was so big, and so bright,and so low in the sky,it looked as though it was about to tiltand scoop water from the Duplin River.I imaged how startled the fish would be,and how the playful dolphinswould leap from its cup.And, of course, there would be a stubborn crabhanging on for dear life to its rim.There is nothing more beautifulthan a

Quote of the Day

2009-08-25T17:43:00.003-04:00

"Getting the most from the least and living peacefully in harmony with nature is the most rewarding lifestyle." -- The Beach Lady (the late MaVynee Betsch of American Beach, Fla.)

Art and Books at Hattie's

2009-08-10T09:25:00.002-04:00

I had a wonderful time displaying my art and signing books at Hattie's on Aug. 7. I met a lot of interesting people. Thanks to Marcia and Don at Hattie's, and to everyone who came out to show their support.

Favorite First Lines

2009-07-22T14:14:00.004-04:00

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight, never landing, until the watcher turns his eyes away in resignation, his dreams mocked to death by time. That is the life of men. "Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to

Sunday Mornings

2009-07-20T09:05:00.004-04:00

Early on Sunday mornings, I go to the beach or walk in the woods, to think, to pray, to meditate and to listen to God's voice and all the natural sounds of His creation. It's when I truly feel as though I am in the house of the Lord.

Leave the Door Open

2009-07-16T11:50:00.007-04:00