Category Archives: Family

What A Woman Needs: It Starts with Damn . . .

Posted on November 30, 2018 by

[On November 30, 2014, I wrote the following blogpost about how I grew up in a sheltered, no-cussing household, but found that, as I got older, I needed a few choice words to illustrate my life. Four years later I find … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Family, Knoxville, Women, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Finding Darcus

Posted on October 31, 2018 by

Since at least 1992, I have been searching for my grandmother, Darcus Montgomery. She gave birth to my father in April 1935, and only four months later–in early August–she died. Naturally I assumed Daddy’s mother died from childbirth complications, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Courage, Dementia, Family, Happiness, Home, Knoxville, Love, Uncategorized, Women, Wonder | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Under the Influence

Posted on July 31, 2018 by

A possible way forward in the middle of turmoil and strife: adventure, balance, curiosity, dreams, education, and being found together. Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Books, Childhood, Courage, Education, Family, Friends, Happiness, Ideas, Knoxville, Music, Op/Ed Thoughts, Tribute, Uncategorized, Wonder, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Backyard Excavation

Posted on June 27, 2018 by

After 15 years in a house we loved but that had grown too large for us, we decided to downsize and drag fewer possessions through life. We wanted to move to an area (1) we could afford, (2) in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Backyard Nature, Beauty, Family, Freedom, Happiness, Home, Ideas, Knoxville, Love, Music | 8 Comments

Daddy’s Ro-phorisms

Posted on November 30, 2017 by

When I was growing up Daddy used to drive me crazy with his corny aphorisms for every situation. We didn’t have the money to eat at the fancier restaurants such as Shoney’s–yes, we were indeed that poor. Mama and Daddy … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Courage, Family, Happiness, Home, Joy (Joie de General), Love, Writing | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Arriving at Last

Posted on October 31, 2017 by

In the fall of my senior year at South (Knoxville) High School, I was offered a full scholarship to Berea College, a small liberal arts college in Kentucky. I didn’t know it at the time, but Berea was founded in … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Courage, Education, Family, Freedom, Ideas, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

When Elephants Fight

Posted on July 10, 2017 by

When elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers. ~ African proverb As I was having lunch with my husband at our local health food coop, Three Rivers Market, I looked inside my drink container’s lid and this quote was written … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Courage, Family, Ideas, Music, Op/Ed Thoughts, Travel, Women, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment