Did you know milkweed was used during World War II? I learned this bit of American history by reading When Angels Rest, by Donald Harington, one of my favorite Arkansas authors. When Angels Rest is classified as literary fiction. When I read about the characters in the story collecting milkweed pods for the war effort, I suspected this must have been based on the truth even though I’d never heard about it. As a huge fan of milkweed—we grow several varieties for the monarchs— I dove down the rabbit hole, reading all about this piece of American history I’d never learned.Continue Reading
He loves me, he loves me not…
Remember this verse?
He loves me,
He loves me not.
He loves me,
He loves me not.
He loves me…
When I was a young girl, my friends and I often plucked the petals of daisy-like flowers, hoping the final petal coincided with he loves me.
But… what if the last petal announced the wrong outcome? We plucked another flower and started over, of course.
It’s funny to think back on it. Especially since as fifth graders flitting and skipping around during recess, we had no idea who “he” was. Certainly he couldn’t be one of the boys in class. Gross. #cooties
He loves me, he loves me not…
my Deep South Road Trip
I just spent three days on a perfect deep south road trip soaking up the things that inspire me most. It was a whirlwind tour filled with music and literature and history and a heavy dose of natural beauty. And good food, too.
My perfect road trip centered around the Alabama Book Festival and while selling books and connecting with others authors and soaking up words was my primary goal, my two other must-see stops were Elvis’s birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi and the Hank Williams Museum in Montgomery, Alabama.
Judge me if you must.Continue Reading