The garden is blessed and the fairies will play

The garden is blessed and the fairies will play: It is midnight. My house is quiet except for the sound of the ceiling fans in the bedrooms of all my sleeping family. The neighborhood is so peaceful even with the occasional barking dog here or there and the sounds of night, which I love. My campfire has fallen to glowing embers, and with its protective screen, I can leave it as hearth and bed lure one and all back inside. Yes, tonight ends the Solstice, one of the most magical days and nights of the year.

Fairies will be abundant in my garden this summer thanks to the Solstice Princess. It was a wonderful celebration. Enjoy this column and as always, thank you for reading. Just click on the title or the first line and there is the story!

Lou Ann 

The gifts were usually simple...

The gifts were usually simple: The gifts were usually simple. The six of us pooled our money together and walked down to the local drug store to see what we could find for Father’s Day. Once we bought a card that cost a whole dollar. We argued over that one. And once we bought a shaving mug with a brush. Everyone agreed on that one, and we just couldn’t wait until Sunday morning to give it to our dad. Sometimes, and more than once, we spent the money on cherry Cokes and ended up with homemade cards. We always felt bad afterward, but we loved sitting on those stools drinking those Cokes in the summer.

My dad loved all theatre shows. Here we are singing with "Mama Mia!".

Here is the link to my Father's Day column...one day late! I had a wonderful day celebrating with two of my sons who are wonderful fathers so this was postponed a day! 

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

Lou Ann

Invader evades the bat patrol at the house with a picket fence

Invader evades the bat patrol at the house with a picket fence: I tiptoe downstairs and find my guests sleeping on my living room floor. I stop on the stairs and wonder why they are not tucked away in the bridal suite where they are supposed to be sleeping. They hear me on the stairs and sit up and stare at me bleary eyed. David, the husband, looks at me through bloodshot eyes and says, “There was a bat.”

Here is the photo of the bat patrol team!

Here is the link to last week's column. Just click on the title or the first line and you will find it on the KPC website! 

As for the bat...nope, naddy, zip.

As always, thank you for reading!

You can never have enough tucking in at night

You can never have enough tucking in at night: Jonah is mine for the night, and nothing could make me happier. I love that he can walk home from school to my house. I have the usual after school snacks ready … pretzels, apples, Route 66 Orange Pop!

Jonah and Graham in last year's cornfield!

Here is the link to last week's column. As always, it was written with much love. Just click on the above link, and as always, thank you for reading!

Lou Ann

Adventures always find a way to the door step

Adventures always find a way to the door step: With warm days and cool nights upon us, my phone starts lighting up with bicyclists requesting a night’s provisions. I joined Warmshowers.com a few years ago and have become a popular host because of my location. Folks traveling across the U.S. on bicycles know that hosts provide a safe clean bed and always a warm shower. There is no exchange of money with hosting, just good will!

Jenny signed the wall before they left the next morning.

Here is the link to this week's column. It was a great adventure just sharing an evening on my front porch! Just click on the above link and there it is! Enjoy, and thank you for reading! Lou Ann

 

Jenny and Neil on my front porch!

Now that the babies are gone, the clock ticks on...

Now that the babies are gone, the clock ticks on: A Letter to Young Moms:

This photo is from the farm days, of course! Haircuts were done at home...no shoes and plenty to do to keep three little boys busy as they grew up. From left to right: Adam, Aaron, and Abe.

 

 

 

Here is this week's Mother's Day column. It was written with great love to all the young moms (and the older ones). It is especially written for my three sons who breathed life into me when I was so young. They gave me the stories to tell.

Enjoy, and, as always, thank you for reading. Just click on the above link.

And, yes, the clock ticks, and they grow up. Aaron, Abe, and Adam.

 

 

A friend from London falls in love with Angola...

A friend from London falls in love with Angola: One of my favorite words is “serendipitous” which means occurring by chance in a happy or beneficial way, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. This is exactly what happened last week, and here is the story.

Graham is contemplating the walk.

 

 

 

Here is the link to this week's column. It was a very interesting week with Clive who came to us from London. Enjoy the column and, as always, thank you for reading. 

 

One at a time folks walked the labyrinth.

This is Clive holding a small, hand carved labyrinth.

Poetry and music are meant for one another...

Poetry and music are meant for one another: The deluge of the April rain catches me off guard as I ride my bike home from school. Gardens empty, school children scramble and I ride furiously with one eye to the sky.

Here is the link to this week's column. Please just click on the above link and there it is. I spent the evening listening and watching the Wailin' Jennys and it was marvelous. Enjoy this piece from Youtube. They ended the show with this as they stepped away from the microphone. It was stunning...not a breathe from the audience. As always, thank you for reading.

Lou Ann

Hope for the future — trees — get planted by our future

Hope for the future — trees — get planted by our future: My doorbell rings even though the hour is still early. Coffee sits on my dining room table with the newspaper spread out in front of me to read about folks I know and those I don’t. I scramble to the door knowing who is there before I answer.

Scott Hottell's class on Arbor Day at the
White Picket Gardens!

Here is the link to this week's column. As always, it was a labor of love to write. Thanks to the city of Angola, the Tree Board and this exceptional group of 7th graders for a job well done. Thank you also for reading. Just click on the above link and there is the column!!

Earth Day has become a natural part of my celebrations...

Earth Day has become a natural part of my celebrations: Shel Silverstein published “The Giving Tree” in 1964. It was a book that editors were wary to publish because they felt it was too sad for children and too childish for adults. Harper and Row finally took the project and decided on a limited publishing amount of 5-7,000 copies. Of course, we know the results! Currently, there are 5.6 million copies of this timeless book on bookshelves everywhere.

Reed Steele

This week we will be celebrating Earth Day on Saturday, April 22nd. There are many events, as you can see from this week's column. I am so excited to announce that Reed Steele will be sharing his expertise in Science with us at the Science Rally on the Square in Angola at 10:00. You won't want to miss this. Please come join us.

As always, thank you for reading. See you Saturday! 

Love is all around in Minneapolis...

Love is all around in Minneapolis: Minneapolis is a long way to travel to throw my hat into the air by the Mary Tyler Moore statue, but that is exactly what I did. With one small suitcase (and a hat to throw), I pulled into Union Station at midnight. Clicking my boots together I knew I wasn’t in Kansas or Angola anymore as the Minneapolis sky line loomed ahead and was full of color. When the country mouse travels to visit the city mouse, I must say the country mouse is all ears and eyes.

This past winter I visited Minneapolis by train. I love traveling by train and wanted to see a friend of mine. I loved visiting the city and took in all the sites, at least all that I could see for one weekend. I got behind in my posting this winter so this column is a little dated (February), but nonetheless, it was a great trip and there is lots of information in the column. Just click on the title or the first line. As always, thank you for reading!



 

Minnehaha Falls in the winter.

 

 

When visiting Minneapolis you should always stop by the house of

F. Scott Fitzgerald!

 

 

 

The Art Museum has a Jane Austin room. I could have spent the whole

day there cozied up with a book by the fire!

 

 

Today’s stories can bring tomorrow’s smiles...

Today’s stories can bring tomorrow’s smiles: I watch the students walk into the classroom one at a time or in groups. They are more chatty than usual, and I love that. I have a policy about cell phones. “Once under the lintel, the phones go off.” Sometimes the word “lintel” confuses them, but they understand the policy! If I see someone sneaking out their phone all I have to say is “Under the lintel, under the lintel.” It is Pavlovian.

 

Here is the link to this week's column. I love writing about my students, and here is the one on storytelling. The photo is a little blurry, but you get the idea. Just click on the title of the first line and you will have the story. As always, thank you for reading and enjoy!!

Here are the three students who shared Orpheus and Eurydice!


 

 
 

 

Poetry returns to the square in Angola...

I can't believe it is almost April which means poetry on the square is returning. I loved reading Shakespeare on the square last year even though, on occasion, I was alone in my reading. I should clarify; those were the days of sleet and snow.

This year I am sharing my love of 20 poets and more. I have chosen major poets we should all love and mixing the blend with a few obscure ones as well. Please know you are welcome to bring an original poem of your own or something you love. All poets and poems are welcome.

The event runs Monday through Friday during April at 4:00 on the square in front of the Brokaw. I hope to see you there!!

Last day of reading Shakespeare on the square!