Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Christmas Cabin...

This year my lovely old house is on the Christmas Walk. There will be six locations for this walk on December 17th. I am honored to be asked, and hope I can have everything as charming as you would like it to be!

My house has been called the Christmas Cabin. I hope to see you there on this candlelight tour! All proceeds benefit Turning Point Homeless Shelter of Steuben County.

Lou Ann


Saturday, November 26, 2016

Make sure you shop local today and always...

Make sure you shop local today and always: If your house is like mine, it is filled with tins of cookies, tubs of leftover corn casserole and bags (and bags) of ham and turkey. The front hall has shoes tossed to and fro and overnight bags spill out into the hallway.


Santa arriving in Angola last night!



Last night Santa arrived in my hometown! Today is Shop Small Business Day so you know exactly where i will be. We are starting the day at Village Kitchen, shopping the square, and getting our Christmas tree at Booth's Farm.

Just click on the above link for today's story and enjoy. I had fun writing this piece.

See you in out and about!

Lou Ann
 

Friday, November 25, 2016

Santa's Arrival in my Small Town...

Tonight Santa arrives in Angola. It is always one of my favorite events in my small town. We all gather on the square at 5:30 and wait for his arrival. It doesn't matter what kind of weather we are having. Just a note...it is usually cold and rainy...but who cares? I mean, this is Santa!

When Santa has arrived and we are all assembled, Mayor Hickman will invite the crowd and Santa to count down from ten to zero and then blow on all the lights in town. I know we aren't New York City or Chicago, but oh, what it thrill it is to be surrounded by family and friends to blow on all the lights of Christmas.

This year Santa will receive visitors (usually they are under ten) in our beautifully restored Brokaw Theatre. My job is crowd control outside. What magic do I carry up my sleeves (or my cape for this event)? It will be a marvelous evening. Come on down and see the fun in one of America's favorite small town...Angola, Indiana.

And tomorrow? Tomorrow is Shop Small. Please buy from your your local merchants tomorrow. We will be doing just that!

Happy day after Thanksgiving!




Saturday, November 19, 2016

This short trip will linger in my heart forever...

This short trip will linger in my heart forever: The field trip is planned, and I pack the Jeep with clothes and books and my trusty walking stick. With my GPS set out, I head over to pick up Carolyn. She is my traveling partner for this trip. She carries a small traveling bag she places on the back seat and brings a smaller bag up front with us. With a wave to Elten, we begin our road trip to Plymouth.


Chief Menominee

Mark Dvorak, center, with singers!   

 Here is the link to this week's column. It was a great trip to Plymouth, Indiana last weekend, and I wanted you all to come along with us.

As always thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoy this little journey. Just click on the above site and there it is!

Lou Ann

Friday, November 18, 2016

An evening of ‘Cole’ cast a magic spell

An evening of ‘Cole’ cast a magic spell: Just when I think Indiana’s Bicentennial has slowed down, DeKalb High School comes roaring through with their marvelous show, “Cole.” With a large red circle on Nov. 5 on my calendar, I knew that I would consider it a date! I phoned my friend, Mary, and we made plans!


One of my favorite photos from the evening!



Here is the link to last week's column. Congratulations to DeKalb High School in Auburn, Indiana. It was a lovely, lovely evening. Thank you for all the hard work.

Just click on the above link and there it is!

As always, enjoy and thank you for reading.

Lou Ann

Saturday, November 12, 2016

First Frost...




Last night was our first frost. It comes several weeks later than usual which lead to a beautiful fall garden. I always love the first frost. When I lived on the farm it was a welcome event. It meant the months of gardening and heat were finally over. And since we heated with wood and cooked with wood, we could finally take joy into he coolness of fall.

Since I am a winter person, I always take joy in this frost and the coming of winter. If not for winter, we could not love the summer as we do.

I always recited this poem to my children on the first frost so here it is for you.
Happy frost...go outside and enjoy this beautiful weekend.


“October” By Rose Fyleman:
The summer is over,
The trees are all bare,
There is mist in the garden and frost in the air.
The meadows are empty
And gathered the sheaves-
But isn’t it lovely kicking up leaves!

John from the garden
Has taken the chairs;
It’s dark in the evening
And cold on the stairs.
Winter is coming and everyone grieves-
But isn’t it lovely kicking up leaves!

Thursday, November 10, 2016

A day of mourning...

Dear Friends,

Yesterday I set aside for my own day of mourning. I cried all day weeping for my country, my family, my friends, my community...

Most of my friends did the same.

It was a night that I stayed up late, watched in absolute disbelief, and then crawled under the covers with the same clothes on. Actually I wore them all day yesterday, last night and finally showered this morning. 

I will continue to wear black.

I am sure some of you voted for the other candidate. You are still my country, my friends, my family, my community...

I will continue to keep my strong Democratic values. I will continue to open my doors to any and all. I will not lock my doors. I will not own a gun. I will embrace my environmental issues and I will pray to God every night that the morning will come.

A day of mourning. 

Until a brighter day,

Lou Ann

Sunday, November 06, 2016

Women fought long, hard for the right to vote...

Women fought long, hard for the right to vote: Twice this fall I held a 1916 Suffragette rally (keeping with the Bicentennial theme!) on the Public Square of Angola. Yes, I stood on the Square with these words for all women. Enjoy and don’t forget to vote!


This photo was taken at our first rally!


Here is the link to this week's column. I hope you enjoy it! Just click on the above link. And, don't forget to vote...as if anyone could forget this year.

Lou Ann

P.S. Thanks to my editor, Mike, for the great editing job!!

Friday, November 04, 2016

A typical day in northern Indiana in Autumn...

Tulip tree in my backyard.


Sometimes I just go outside to sit and breathe (other times I go out to garden and paint the fence!) and this morning was one of those. The sky is so blue, the trees still beautiful, and my town looks like a string of gems.

Tonight will be clear so I will have a campfire with friends and watch the planets compete with the waxing moon for my attention.

I am so reminded of a poem by Robert Frances. A few years ago a friend of mine gave me a much coveted book of his poems. Here is one for your Friday!

Keep me from going to sleep too soon
Or if I go to sleep too soon
Come wake me up. Come any hour
Of night. Come whistling up the road.
Stomp on the porch. Bang on the door.
Make me get out of bed and come
And let you in and light a light.
Tell me the northern lights are on
And make me look. Or tell me clouds
Are doing something to the moon
They never did before, and show me.
See that I see. Talk to me till
I'm half as wide awake as you
And start to dress wondering why
I ever went to bed at all.
Tell me the walking is superb.
Not only tell me but persuade me.
You know I'm not too hard persuaded.

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

Minstrel Show a trip down musical memory lane

Minstrel Show a trip down musical memory lane: Johnny Cash blares out of my CD player on this crisp fall morning. His tunes carry me out to the garden to hang out sheets and back to the front porch to finally close the windows. Closing the windows is indeed an act of saying a final farewell to summer.

I am waving "Howdeee!" to the audience!!


Whereas the Minstrel Show has come and gone, this is a fun article to read anyway. It was great fun helping out Elten Powers, our fearless leader! I loved working up my Minnie Pearl debut, and think I have a new career on the horizon.

Just click on the above link and there you have it.

Thank you for always taking this journey with me!

Lou Ann

Spring break in St. Pete...

  Adam and his pups! The late-night flight is full. Everyone is heading out for spring break. Students and teachers, moms and dads, kids and...