Saturday, September 29, 2012

September's Harvest Moon

 
 
Here is the view of the earth on the full moon tonight, September 30!
This moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. This week's article tells you all aboout the folklore of this moon and how spectacular it is. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy!
 
Lou Ann
 
Click here for this week's article, "Shine on this glorious night, harvest moon!"

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Gypsy Life for Me!



Last week end was the Fall Fest and the Civil War reenactment in my small town. I spent three days telling stories and strolling the town and battlegrounds.

I had pretty good company as I mingled with Samuel Clemens (he looks good after all these years, although is still very arrogant), Abe Lincoln (who could lose a few pounds by the way), Frederick Douglas and Benjamin Franklin. Ben's wife was there as well and I wanted to ask her about her husband's affairs in Paris. I don't think she would have believed me!

I sang, told stories and read a few fortunes along the way. I had one group of folks ask about gypsies. I told them they often sing, dance, tell stories for coins and then move on. They ask what I do for a living. "Well," I said, "I tell stories, sing, and teach for coins and then I move on."

So now we now where the gypsies settled. My back yard.


Sunday, September 23, 2012

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Dusk in my Hometown...



Dear Folks,
Some of you readers have followed me from Ocracoke. I am so glad you have done that. I think often that I live two separate lives, and of course I really do.

When I am not on Ocracoke taking wonderful photos, videos and writing stories, I am here in my small berg of a town doing the same thing.

My town is small, about 7,000. We have a town square which you are looking at right now. I live just a few blocks away so that I can ride my bike anywhere I go, except to shows!

I took this photo on Tuesday evening. This is our Civil War monument. The sun was setting, the waxing sliver of a moon was gleaming in the early dusk, and it was a photo waiting to happen.

This ran on the front page of our newspaper today in quite a large version. Small towns, small islands...it is the world I choose to live in.

As always, thanks for reading.

Lou Ann

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Limousine Birthday!




It was a birthday quite like no other for Jonah this past weekend. Karen and Aaron surprised him along with his brother Matthew and his best friends with a limousine on Friday. The limo was waiting for the kids outside in the parking lot at their school.

There were several of us with cameras as we waited for the kids to come out. We were as excited as they were!

I have a had a few experiences with limos, but this had to be the best. There was music, snacks, and the traditional disco ball.

Michael, the driver, is an employee in Aaron's company who also runs a small limo service. He was great fun as well!

We went to Pizza Hut and then around town, especially the mound...that is a definite tradition is our town. After a game of flag football, cake and ice cream, the whole gang came over for another outdoor movie in my garden! Karen took them all home to bed at her house!

So, another birthday for Jonah. He is now 8, and he will never forget this birthday. Hmmm...neither will we!


Monday, September 17, 2012

Johnny Appleseed Festival...the day after!






It is the day after the Johnny Appleseed Festival and all that is left is what is hanging on the line...black stockings, a white petticoat and an old dress that has seen better days.

The Johnny Appleseed Festival is a once a year festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana which celebrates the life of John Chapman, aka Johnny Appleseed. John is buried in Fort Wayne after a long life of apple planting and Bible sharing.

The festival draws thousands of folks and this year was no different as the weather was spectacular. In the settlers area it is possible to watch blacksmithing, spinning, wool dying, tin making, butter churning...well just about anything that belongs to Pioneer times. I always tell stories in the children's area telling those old tales and bringing lots of kids up on stage to help tell the stories as well!

Needless to say the festival takes my time both days from morning until evening. Last night I brought large containers home of beef stew cooked on an open fire for the last hurrah of Jonah's birthday! Cider and dumplings complete our Autumnal meals as well.

Here is a short video of one of the many musical activities as well. This is the gathering of the bands sharing "Amazing Grace." Let's have a listen....


 As always, thanks for reading and watching!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Back to researching...this week's column.

Dear Folks,

Here is the link to this week's column with a special Happy Birthday to my sister Jessie and little Jonah.

As always, thanks for reading. Let me know where your researching is taking you!

Lou Ann


Click here for this week's column.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Meandering through my garden as Libya was attacked...

Dear Friends,

You know my town. You know how I choose to live. It is quiet here and safe with children playing, biking, doors unlocked, sweet and simple.

I chose to live here years ago when Bob and I brought the children to northern Indiana to build a farm. Our lives have since scattered...we all grew up and moved on.

I have a lovely old house now that is and has been home to many. The steps creak at night when the last one goes to bed. Andy tosses the morning paper on the steps in the early morning which appears to be my wake up call.

We eat from the garden, do good work, and travel on when necessary.

Our lives are so far from Libya and other places of the world that I wonder if we are immune to such brutality? We try to grieve for others, we watch it on the news and we speak of it at the supper table.

We then go back outside to pick sunflowers and watch the stars come out.

How do we exist in this world?

I once had a teacher in college who read us this book (or something like this), "Teacher, the geranium just fell off the shelf and you kept reading."

When do we stop reading? And when do we begin again?

Lou Ann

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

My Breakfast Table on 9/11



I wake Matthew and Jonah up early on this cool Autumn morning. The sun is just beginning to show streaks of pinks and Venus fades into the daylight.

They like school so it is easy to wake them up. They still have that wonderful morning smell of children fresh after a good night's rest.

Our breakfast table is cozy in the kitchen. They feed the cat and the dog (not mine!) while I make eggs from my friend's chickens who live on a nearby farm. I slice peaches from my neighbor's tree and we sit down to have breakfast. We are usually joined by a few neighbor kids as they stop by to get the boys.

They bring chairs into the crowded kitchen as I begin the morning poetry. When I was a child my grandmother always read the Bible to us in the morning. Now I read poetry to the boys...Burns, Dickinson, Frost, Poe...to name a few.

Today I pull out Carl Sandburg and turn to his poems on America. I tell the boys that today all Americans will take a moment of silence at 8:46 to remember those fallen and those who remain our heroes on 9/11.

They listen quietly and take it all in. They are children. They do not know of terror or death. But I want them to think about our freedom and our responsibility as Americans to be strong and brave, whatever it takes.

Matthew says, "I don't know any of the people who died."

I replied, "I don't either, but I still remember them."

He nods.

In a few minutes the conversation shifts to school, activities, football...the beautiful day.

They kiss me good bye and they are off on their bikes.

I tidy up and get ready for school, tucking the Sandburg book into my satchel as I too hop on my bike for school.


I took the photo early this morning out in my garden. A friend of mine bought me the sign HOPE, and it rests calmly on my old maple tree.

HOPE is a good word for today.







Saturday, September 08, 2012

Passing down of stories..

Please click here for this week's column. As always, thanks!


Hi Folks,
This week's column is about passing stories down to our kids and taking each small moment to do it! In the end, that is all we really have. Adam, who lives in Florida, has been visiting this week and this column is for him. We have had a great week full of family dinners, metal detecting, and stories, of course!

Enjoy the column
Lou Ann



Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Scent of Autumn's splendor...

Dear Folks,

This morning brings me working in my Studio before heading to Indianapolis to share my love of gypsy stories. Yes, I have packed my tambourine and my hoop earrings!

It is a warm September morning here in Indiana. My studio is amass with work that I try to keep sorted out...teaching materials, storytelling shows, projects on the burner...well, to name a few.

However out my window are bunches and bunches of ripe purple grapes that my neighbor planted a few years ago. She has offered them to me for jam making along with the peaches from her peach trees. I want to gather them all in worn baskets and carry them into my kitchen to catch the colors of late summer in jars to set upon the pantry shelves.

For now I can just let the scent of Autumn drift into my old house as I continue to work occasionally catching sight of a cardinal stopping by for a late breakfast.

Ahh, sweet scents of Autumn are just beginning in the Midwest.

Lou Ann

Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Venus, the morning star

Each morning I go outside at dawn to get my morning paper. It is delivered by Andy who comes and goes on his bicycle. If the weather is raining or snowing, Andy wraps each paper in a bag and drops if off right by the door. If the weather is clear with promise of a beautiful day, he just gives the paper a toss.

My front porch faces East which gives me the first view of the morning light. Today at 5:00, the sky was inky black with a startling view of Venus. If you have not seen it yet, set that alarm clock a little earlier.

Here is my Haiku for this morning...

Venus' morning light
drops early beams of light
guards my garden gate

Sunday, September 02, 2012

My dancing princesses with political commentary...

Dear Folks,

My recent trip to Arizona to see my two dancing princesses, Holly and Brianna, inspired this week's column.

As always, thanks for listening and watching. The video is just thirty seconds, but oh, there is a whole world inside of it.  Just click below for the column and then the video!

Click here for this week's column.



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...