Category Archives: Writing

Daddy’s Ro-phorisms

Posted on November 30, 2017 by aamontgomery

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 aamontgomery

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

Retro Communications

Posted on June 30, 2017 by aamontgomery

When I graduated from South (Knoxville) High School, I wanted to be a history teacher in the mold of my two favorite history teachers from South. My Tennessee history teacher Mr. (Fred) Ridinger Jr. served under General George Patton in … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Ideas, Women, Work, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Give Me a Young Man’s Wisdom

Posted on February 28, 2017 by aamontgomery

[I wrote this original blogpost two years ago. Though much has changed since April 2015, it is amazing how much has remained the same–and I find this post eerily relevant to our country in February 2017.] Sometimes I find the most extraordinary … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Courage, Freedom, Happiness, Ideas, Joy (Joie de General), Love, Music, Op/Ed Thoughts, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Love, Honor, and Compassion

Posted on November 7, 2016 by aamontgomery

Grandfather, Sacred One, teach us love, compassion, and honor that we may heal the earth and heal each other. ~ Native American Ojibwa Prayer Perhaps growing up poor gave me a natural affinity for Native Americans and other people who were … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Beauty, Books, Childhood, Courage, Family, Freedom, Friends, Ideas, Love, Op/Ed Thoughts, Photography, Women, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Much Ado About Laura and Tom Parkhill

Posted on April 28, 2016 by aamontgomery

On Saturday, April 23, my photographer husband Kurt and I were ever-so-fortunate to capture love at its most rapturous when our friend Tom Parkhill married the love of his life, Laura Regis. Yes, gentle blog readers, you heard me right: … Continue reading →

Posted in Blooming, Childhood, Creativity, Happiness, Joy (Joie de General), Knoxville, Stage, The Arts, Uncategorized, Wonder, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Our Corner That Keeps Flapping Around

Posted on March 31, 2016 by aamontgomery

Nearly twenty years ago, my father Roy Allen retired at the age of 62. Daddy’s passions were (1) his family (especially his fellow sports maniac, his grandson Justin), (2) Lady Vol basketball, (3) New York Yankees baseball, and (4) traveling … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Courage, Family, Happiness, Joy (Joie de General), Love, Tribute, Wonder, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Grace’s Son, Tom Parkhill

Posted on January 24, 2016 by aamontgomery

When I was growing up in East Tennessee just across the river from downtown in South Knoxville, I went to school with a rather extraordinary guy named Tom Parkhill. Our parents were friends so we would occasionally go over to … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Courage, Family, Friends, Happiness, Knoxville, Love, Stage, Tribute, Women, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

My Hand, Always in Daddy’s Glove

Posted on September 30, 2015 by aamontgomery

In his black-and-gray herringbone coat with his bitten-short fingernails, Daddy would come through the door after work. That is my first hazy memory from childhood. I am not sure why I remember Daddy’s coat and his nails as the same … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Blooming, Childhood, Freedom, Happiness, Home, Knoxville, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Coming Up Short in a Small-town City

Posted on August 31, 2015 by aamontgomery

When I was growing up here in the South in the valley near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, my hometown of Knoxville seemed organized, adults had rules, my sister and I enjoyed a good many snowfalls, and I could … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Home, Knoxville, Op/Ed Thoughts, Work, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments