Project takes me back to 19th Century Indiana...

Project takes me back to 19th Century Indiana - KPCNews: Kpcnews


For the past week I have been researching the life of T.C. Steele.

My thoughts and notes of him and his life were scarce, and I must 
add, emotionless.
That is until....

That is until this week when I poured my heart and soul into
this work. I have now fallen in love with this man
by reading his notes, his love letters to his wife 
and his children. The project has left me laughing
out loud in the library and crying on a few times.

Enjoy the column. Just click on the above KPC site.
There is definitely more to come.
Lou Ann

Out my windows this week!

My New Year's Resolution (or one of them)...fine tuning my ukulele playing!

I am so enamored by this beautiful piece on the ukulele that I am totally inspired to keep that resolution of playing well and more often.

Actually my friend and neighbor, Lee, and I have formed a band...Schmaltz and Blarney. We are hoping to begin having a few gigs along the way. Our band is also accompanied with songbooks for sing-a-longs. Folks in the audience or in the bar just shout out the number of the song and we play. Oh, and Lee plays banjo. It is a great sound together. We usually rehearse on Saturday nights with beer and pizza. When the pizza guy shows up he always says to me, "Band practice?"  

I also answer him with a "Yep, you want to join us?"

We are available for booking!! Oh, and be sure to play the song all the way through. It is beautiful!

Winter's Night...

come sit by my fire

sherry or cider for you?

and stories we'll tell

There’s much to enjoy in the chill of winter...

There’s much to enjoy in the chill of winter - KPCNews: Kpcnews

Here is the link to this week's column. Just click on the KPC site above!
As always, thank you for reading. I have paired this column
with a lovely poem by Emily Bronte. It is perfect for 
this cold, raw January day.

New Year's Day Thoughts...

 

My Christmas tree this season with the candles lit,

When I was a child I never liked New Year's Day. It meant taking down the Christmas tree, putting away all of our gifts and cleaning up the last of the needles. As children we thought it meant the ending of all the holidays. (As a grown up I have come to love and appreciate all holidays even the remote ones!) 

The house was bare and empty without the tree and the stockings. The cookies were all gone. The Christmas carols were no longer sung in church. (I could sing Good King Wenceslas all year.) We were forlorn in all ways.

Our dad understood our sadness. When we went to bed he would always click his fingers and say, "It's almost Christmas." That sent us to bed smiling knowing that another Christmas would come round. It was a sweet moment in childhood and an even sweeter moment in adulthood.

Happy New Year's Day...and before you know it, it will be Groundhog Day!

Until tomorrow.

Find peace and joy outside your back door...

Find peace and joy outside your back door - KPCNews: Kpcnews

Here is the link to this week's column. Enjoy and thank

you for reading as always! Just click on the above link!

I took this photo through the trees as we hiked.

 

Marie took this photo at the Spring Shelter.

My winter garden...

This is a photo of my winter garden.

Robert L. Stevenson once wrote the following poem:

"To make this Earth our hermitage
A cheerful and a changeful page
God's bright and intricate device
Of days and season doth suffice."

Even in the midst of the bleakest of Decembers (yes, no snow to speak of), my
garden gives great beauty. It is always there...just waiting for us.

Merry Christmas!!

This is one of my favorite photos of Matthew and Jonah! It is the epitome of childhood.

Merry Christmas to all my faithful readers!

Seinfeld - The Full Story Of Festivus [HD]

f you are a Seinfeld fan, you will love this. Needless to say, I still think Seinfeld was the most brilliant TV series ever produced!

Happy Festivus Everyone!

Santa Claus is coming to town!!

Last night Santa Claus came to Cahoots Coffee Cafe. We (Crystal from Cahoots and Mrs. Claus) planned an evening for families, but we had no idea how many would actually show up! We had wall to wall babies, children, and families. There were no chairs or beanbags left by 7:00. It was a wonderful evening for all. I told stories for half an hour with babies crawling all around and nine year old boys snickering. 

On the last line of Twas the Night Before Christmas when I said, "But I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight,...." Santa appeared with a Ho,Ho Ho and the last line of the famous poem.

Oh my! The children did squeal with delight. It was quite wonderful. There were cookies (4 cases donated by the Girl Scouts!) and milk for all the children. I think it is these kinds of events that make us all believe in Christmas. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

At the end of the evening, Jonah and I finally had our turn to see Santa. 

I want to thank Ken and Karen Shelton for being the best Mr. and Mrs. Claus on this side of the globe. I am sure at the end of last night they were glad to head back up to the North Pole and get to work and have a much longed for rest!

Happy Christmas to all!!

Solstice

solstice morning dawns

between the dark and the light

balancing the earth

Today is one of my favorite days as the northern hemisphere begins its descent back to summer. I am one of the unusual folks who love long winter nights. Maybe it is because it is the only time I feel it is okay to curl up with a great book or a good movie. In the summer we are out and about working the garden...the earth.

On Saturday evening friends gathered in this old house to celebrate this festive event. We recited poetry, drummed about out thoughts, lit candles on the Christmas tree, sang old songs, sat around the campfire, and ate each other's cooking. It was a night of celebrating, of holding hands and hearts thinking about what really is important in this life.

So today, take a few minutes from your busy day to reflect on this spectacular world we live in and light a candle for peace.

Lou Ann

Visitor shares life of homelessness at holidays...

Visitor shares life of homelessness at holidays - KPCNews: Kpcnews

Dear Friends,

Here is the link to this week's column. I hope you enjoy it. It was a labor of love to write this one.

All you have to do is click on the above KPC link and there it is.

I was also fortunate enough to be able to do a video interview with Tim. We talked for a long time before I asked, and he was more than willing. I made it into a youtube video. I hope you like the video as well. 

As always,

Lou Ann

Stopping by a woods on a snowy evening...

Enjoy this reading by Robert Frost himself!

I took this photo last year during a horse-drawn wagon ride in my hometown.
Tonight there are rides from 5:30-8...don't miss it!