A World-Class Effort
Even for people who aren’t big soccer fans, it was hard not to get excited about the World Cup this year. It’s been the main topic of many sports shows, news reports, and casual conversations for the past month. I saw several of the games, including the nail-biting final match between Argentina and Spain. My favorite game, though, is one that took place a week before then, and it had nothing to do with the World Cup. We were in [...]
4th of July Memories
My husband and I recently celebrated our 50th anniversary. Not of our wedding day, but of the day we first met. It was a blind date, and an easy day for me to remember, because it was exactly a week before the 4th of July in the Bicentennial Year of 1976—our country’s 200th birthday. I’ve thought of that often as we prepare to celebrate the 4th of July this year, on our country’s 250th anniversary—or Semiquincentennial, which is not just [...]
A Rainy Day Reflection
Back when I was old enough to be dreaming about the future, but young enough that it was still far off, I used to imagine what an idyllic evening in my grown-up life might be like: Lying on the sofa with a fire in the fireplace and soft music in the background. A glass of wine and a good book close at hand. My husband in a chair nearby, and a big, sweet dog asleep on the floor next to [...]
The Time is Now for Voices and Votes
There’s a new show in town, and it’s a big, big deal! It’s called Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, and it’s a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit that’s been making its way around the country since 2020. It’s in Georgia now, and Putnam County, where I live, is the first of only a handful of locations in the state that will be hosting it. The exhibit never goes to major, big-city museums—only to rural and small-town locations. It also includes [...]
Many Sides of Easter
Easter is such a wonderful and important holiday for so many reasons. First and foremost, of course, is the religious significance for everyone who celebrates the resurrection of Christ, which is the basis for all Christian faiths. It’s also a fun and colorful family day, with a weekend that often includes Easter egg hunts for children, photos with the Easter bunny, and Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies, Peeps, and other goodies. For adults, Easter baskets can have samples of [...]
American Food for Thought
Hamburgers or hot dogs. Which food would you say is more American? How about peanut butter and jelly or grilled cheese? Apple pie or chocolate chip cookies? These were some of the decisions I had to make—along with my three teammates—at a recent training session for upcoming school field trips to the Georgia Writers Museum, where I’m an active volunteer. The project wasn’t really about food, however. It was about discussion, debate, and decision-making. It was about the voting process. [...]