People frequently comment about how much they enjoy reading about my grandchildren. If you are one of those folk, this one’s for you! On Thursday evening, my telephone rang. Caller ID informed me that my son Adam was on the other end of the line. However, when I answered the call, I heard nothing. Then, in the background, I heard Adam telling someone, “Say ‘Hi, Grammie!’” A little voice promptly obeyed. When I replied, two-year-old Colton began a long spate…..
Have you ever known the meaning of a word when you hear it, but not recognized it in its written form? One that confused me for a lot of years was“compromise.” I read it as “compromise.” I knew what a compromise was,but didn’t associate it with the printed word. Or how about “chaos?” That’s another one that can really be confusing. I have heard it pronounced several different ways when people are reading aloud, “chows” and “chy-oes” being among them. Who would…..
What better month of the year to designate as National Apple Month than October! Business is brisk at the local orchards as lots of folks flock there to purchase their favorite apple varieties. I went to one fairly close to me last week to obtain some Jonagolds. Making things with apples has long been a tradition in the Ray household. I couldn’t even begin to number all the recipes I have tried. Most of them have turned out well, although…..
“Into each life some rain must fall” is a line from a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The same lyric is also declared in a song featuring Ella Fitzgerald and the Inkspots. Both of these depict a hard season of existence. However, there is another way to think about rainy days. Ask any farmer or gardener and you will hear that rain can be a blessing. Thirsty plants gain much-needed moisture to help them along their path to maturity. …..
One of the most frequent comments I hear about my column is, “I love the stories about your grandchildren!” So for those readers who enjoy them, this one’s for you! Elijah (2-1/2) is the source of the latest stories. He seems to have taken his older sister Vivian’s spot as a main source of family humor. Heather (his mother) called me one day and asked if I had time for an Elijah story. Of course I did! She had taken…..
I sorted through a lot of Christmas decorations trying to decide which ones I wanted to use this year. Many of them brought back fond memories of my husband and children, especially the Christmas stockings that I had made for each of us. One stocking, however, took me even further back. When I was preschool age, my Aunt Barbara sewed preprinted flannel stockings for my sisters and me. We used them for a year or two, but then our parents…..