Friday Tidings

Okay kids here’s the good news: you’ll only spend 900 hours in the classroom this next school year. Which means you’ll have nearly 8000 hours at home doing other stuff. Yeah, I know there’s homework.  But if you use those 900 school hours wisely, maybe there will be less to do at home. Your mom and dad are probably working too. It can be hectic getting out the door in the morning and you’re all pretty tired when you get back home.  But here’s something important to do—love those who love you. Helping each other is a way to show it. Remember, it’s only 900 school hours. That leaves time for sports, TV, and video games, but also take time to look around your house, put things away, help in the kitchen, take the garbage out, you know the routine.  When we help those we love, we all feel better at the end of a long day. Having loving homes makes our world (and schools) a nicer place. I...

Our farm was a 30-minute drive to the city, so one day when I ran out of oatmeal, I drove to our nearby country store. I walked in carrying my baby, and went to the cereal aisle. I heard the bells jingle on the front door as someone else entered.  Voices carried quite well in the little store, and I heard the owner greet the customer. They began a conversation I’ve never forgotten. After a few pleasantries, the customer declared: “You wouldn’t believe what those trailer people are doing now.” The way she said it sounded like they’d discussed the “trailer people” before. “They brought in a heap of broken concrete—piled it next to their dilapidated shed.” The concrete got my attention. Needing extra money, we’d removed a concrete driveway for someone. It had been a horrendous job. Instead of throwing away the pieces, we thought we’d re-use it for a cobblestone pathway. Okay, maybe it sounded better than it would eventually look. But right then it ...

Summertime across America brings lots of local festivals. My rural community celebrates wild blackberries during Joyce Daze—a day-long event beginning with a hearty pancake breakfast.  Local musicians take turns on a wooden stage while vendors selling handmade jewelry, baked goods, art work, leather belts, lamb’s wool hats and scarves, and whatever one wants to sell are tucked beneath plastic tarp awnings.  photo credits: Roger Mosley / Joyce Daze Wild Blackberry Festival People line up early for slices of homemade wild blackberry pie. Dozens of Joyce Daze volunteers commit the first Saturday in August year in and year out to make this happen—from the zany parking crew (my son and his friends have done this for just over a decade now) photo credit: Roger Mosley / Joyce Daze Wild Blackberry Festival —to the absolutely indispensable pie bakers—rolling every crust a...