Jonesborough, Tennessee...What more can I say?

Click here for this week's column.

This week's column is written from Jonesborough, Tennessee. This is the 40th year for the festival, and it never fails to entertain, enrich, and encourage me in my own week.

I have spent two full days from morning until after midnight listening to tellers from all around the world, yes even from Wales this year.

This year I spent most of my time with The Greats, those I consider to be the Masters of this ancient art. To name a few...Jay O'Callahan, Judith Black, John McCutcheon, Gay Ducey, Laura Simms, Donald Davis. These are the folks that have helped shape my work during the last few years. I admire their skill, talent, and hard work.

I didn't see Donald much last summer, so it is nice to see him with his bow tie on the streets of Jonesborough and watching Merle glide her way through the town appearing here and there.

There is one more day until Ellen and I head home on Monday. It is a bit rainy and cold, but don't stories keep us warm? So from the heart of the storytelling to your warm, cozy houses full of light and heat (maybe), this is Lou Ann sharing her own love of stories.

The Burning Bush

These beautiful bushes surround my front porch. My porch is old with windows that still have the ropes to do the work of opening and closing them.

My neighbor built screens the first year I lived here so I can live on that porch any time of the year. It is furnished with old wicker furniture and my guitar.

Right now, of course, there are hats and boots that belong to the local witch and pumpkins that light in the night. The door is surrounded by lit up spiders!

These bushes surround this porch giving me an eye on the world, but yet a bit of privacy for late night conversations.

As you can see, it is raining in northern Indiana today and the rain is beaded on the leaves.

What is outside your front porch?

What is your beauty?

Here is another lovely view of northern Indiana on this beginning of Autumn.
This weather keeps me outside as much as possible, except for work!

I would love to share photos from your hometown as well. I know that all places of this world are beautiful, especially this time of year. So, go ahead, send me a photo and I will make a few guest posts during this month. Be sure to tell me where this photo was taken and a little about your hometown!

October's Bright Blue Skies

Dear Friends,

Here it is the first of October. The full harvest moon was spectacular this weekend. I watched the moon rise at Pokagon State Park while square dancing under the night sky. It was the perfect night for this event.

Sunday dawned bright and beautiful as well. I took my little boys to Pokagon again to have breakfast at the dew-glistened park. We then played for hours and took photos.

For the month of October I will post a photo of Autumn from wherever I am.

These photos for today are from Pokagon this weekend. 

These poetic lines were taken from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his poem "Autumn." Enjoy and thanks for reading.

 

Autumn

 

Thous comest, Autumn, heralded by the rain,

With banners, by great gales incessant fanned.

Brighter than brightest silks of Samarcand,

And stately oxen harness to thy wain.

Thou standest like imperial Charlemagne,

Upon thy bridge of gold, thy royal band

Outstreteched with benedictions o'er the land,

Blessing the farms through all thy vast domain!

Thy shield is the red harvest moon, suspended

So long beneath the heaven's o'er-hanging eaves,

Thy steps are by the farmer's prayers attended

Like flames upon an altar shine the sheaves,

And, following thee, in thy creation splendid,

Thine almoner, the wind, scatters the golden leaves!

 

Longfellow

 

 

 

 

 



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!"

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.

My response to the proposed strip club in Angola...

Click here for this week's column.

This column is my response to the proposed strip club in Angola. We have voices, let's use them.

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

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!

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!

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.

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

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.