Crooked Creek by Sue Mattingly
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi
This blog, Crooked Creek, is just over five years old. It has been a good run, but it is time to bring it to an end. As I’ve told a couple of folks “I’ve said all I have to say.” They laughed, I suppose doubting there would ever be such a day. We’ve covered subjects […]
Arizona recently “refurbished” its gas chamber built in 1949 which has not been used since 1999. The plan is to execute prisoners with cyanide and other gases. This is the same gas combination (Zyklon B) used by the Nazis to murder more than one million men, women, and children during the Holocaust. Is this worthy […]
I don’t read a lot of novels, except historical ones occasionally. Over two days earlier this month I read a really good one based on the recommendation of several friends. The genre is listed variously as Women’s Fiction, Southern Fiction, Coming of Age, Family Life, and Survival! Probably all of those apply to “Where the Crawdads […]
The state of Texas put Quintin Jones to death on May 19, 2021, without any media witnesses present to observe the execution. Since the U.S. Supreme Court upheld its death penalty statute in 1976 Texas has put to death 571 individuals. This is the first time there were no media witnesses. Officials blamed the problem […]
It is officially summer per the calendar even though technically summer began last night at 11:32 p.m. Due to the summer solstice, today will be the longest day of the year and tonight will be the shortest night. Regardless of the technicalities summer means fun in the sun and we all have our favorite things […]
Are you familiar with the Enneagram Personality Test? I was not until I read a book by Richard Rohr. He referred to the Enneagram in his book “Falling Upward” and it raised my curiosity so I researched it further. https://crookedcreek.live/2021/02/01/falling-upward/ The Enneagram presents nine personality types with some overlapping. The book I just read, “What’s […]
In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. The Flag Resolution, stated: “Resolved, That the flag of the thirteen United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the […]
This is J.J. my daughter’s white parakeet. I guess that makes him my “grand bird.” He is a very nice guest and will be staying at Camp Grandmother’s for a week or so. J.J. is named for John James Audubon.
Do you use tumeric to cook? It is a bright yellow aromatic powder obtained from the rhizome of a plant of the ginger family, used for flavoring and coloring in Asian cooking and formerly as a fabric dye. My Mom used it and I do too. Have you noticed anything wrong with this blog so […]
Albert Woodfox was a teenager when he was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. The Louisiana prison was called Angola and those incarcerated there were treated like animals. They were strip-searched sometimes multiple times a day and were made to work for two cents per hour. Woodfox tells the story of his more […]
I just learned that Bob Dylan turned eighty years old on May 24th! How can this be? Dylan is a hero of mine, but as a rock and roller how can he be older than me? He won the Medal of Freedom in 2010 and the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2016. He is prolific […]
Spring time in Kentucky brings many treats, dogwood and redbuds in bloom, daffodils and tulips and lots of sunshine. One of the best things is weather for Porch Parties again. Even though most friends are vaccinated we still enjoy visits on the porch, theirs or mine. Sometimes we share a glass of wine but always […]
Some things you may not know about the month that starts tomorrow: Aquarium Month Candy Month Dairy Month Effective Communications Month Fight the Filthy Fly Month Gay and Lesbian Pride Month Great Outdoors Month Sue’s Birthday National Accordion Awareness Month National Adopt a Cat Month National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month National Iced Tea Month […]
We all know, or should know, the danger of global warming to our futures, but most people are unaware of another very real danger. Did you know that sperm counts are dropping and women are having more problems with egg quality? There are more miscarriages today and more genital abnormalities in infant boys. Girls are […]
“East of Eden” by Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck is a journal about several families and two in particular that become close in a dark way. One of the families, the Trasks, is similar to the Biblical story of Cain and Abel. Steinbeck’s characters are fascinating in many realms, such as love, mystery and murder. […]
“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” Cicero I believe this quote is true. I cannot imagine life without books or a room without books. As you’ve noticed I have blogged a lot of book reviews over the past several months. I cannot imagine a pandemic without books! This past year […]
“A Promised Land” is an autobiography by Barack Obama the 44th President of the United States. It is a long, thorough account of the former President’s administration. Obama is honest and forthcoming about the trials, triumphs and failures of his time in office. He is very good at giving credit to those who worked with […]
Research by the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) shows the total number of people exonerated after being wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death is 185. The data from these 185 exonerations (see three case studies below) shows that particularly with people of color, innocent death row prisoners were convicted because of a combination of police […]
“A Pledge of Silence” by Flora J. Solomon This novel is not my usual read, but it has much to recommend it. The story is about a nurse who joined the Army Nurse Corps in 1941. She was happy to be assigned to a base in Manila and for a while all went well there. […]
Have you ever considered what it costs to carry out an execution? Have you given thought to the fact that you and I pay for our fellow citizens to be executed? That’s right, it is tax payer money which makes it possible to take the life of a convicted prisoner. The Federal Bureau of Prisons […]
Recently, I was on a camping trip with my daughter. I wondered whether I’d be able to sleep in a camper since it had been many years since I had camped. I needn’t have worried. I went to sleep easily in the crisp air of the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee. In the middle of the […]
“Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption” by Laura Hillenbrand This true story follows the life of Louis Zamperini (1917-2014) from his grade school years until his death at the age of ninety-seven. His was a life well worth the effort of reading this riveting, best selling book. In fact I have […]
It had been about 40 years since I camped when my daughter, Allison, invited me to go with her last weekend. I hesitated for about ten seconds before saying, “Yes!” My hesitation was about my daughter’s ability to pull and handle the trailer. I didn’t know if she had done it before. She assured me […]
April has been designated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as “Distracted Driving Month.” It seems to me that it should have been named “Non-distracted Driving Month” but be that as it may, we need to be reminded to pay undivided attention to our driving. The NHTSA states that at least eight people […]
A Book Review by Dianne Bynum “Dead Wake The Last Crossing of the Lusitania” Erik Larsen has become one of my favorite writers of historical novels. I really enjoyed, and learned a lot, from “The Devil in the White City.” Both novels are about events I knew very little about. I knew that the sinking […]
If you have not looked in on the Florida eagles lately, you should do so before they fly away. Although only about 2 1/2 months old they are testing their big wings. E17 and E18 won’t reside in the nest much longer. They are fledging further each day. https://swfleaglecam.com/?fbclid=IwAR36G6NPVtbd8mT_aIDtSGwzcHc7wlPf-CK6pupVCHa86zUFoAjlJBgtl5I If you don’t know their interesting […]
Robin DiAngelo is an antiracist educator with years of experience. Her book, “White Fragility,” is thought-provoking on many levels but her main thesis is that all white people are racist. That is an explosive statement but throughout her writing, she gives examples of how the white race has maintained a culture of supporting racism as […]
I could have sworn it is springtime here in Kentucky, but I’m confused because my Christmas cactus is blooming!
Do you know how many people died in US wars since the Revolutionary War? It is around 1.4 million. That is fewer than Americans killed by guns in the last 45 years. Including accidents, murders, and suicides more than 1.5 million lives have been lost to guns since 1975. A gun is not inherently bad. […]
“The Longest Ride” by Nicholas Sparks is sweet, tear-jerking, and readily forgotten. If you have read even one book by this author you know what you are in for. For this reason, I can only blame myself for recently listening to the audible version of “The Longest Ride.” I have a trove of books on my Kindle that […]
this place i call home it’s a long day and a drive home into the setting sun and dusk as i pull up in front of my house, stand at the curb, and look at this place i call home… a soft glow emanates from the porch light, revealing an old rocker and the plain […]
From the Civil War to today, “White Rage” by Carol Anderson Ph.D. defines the powerful forces opposed to black progress in the United States. Anderson wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post in response to talk of black rage. She proposed that the problem was instead white rage that brought about the unrest in this country at that time, 2014. […]
Solomon Northup, a black man, was born free in 1808. He lived in New York State with his wife and three children. He worked and supported his family and loved playing the violin. One day he was kidnapped and following being sold multiple times he ended up spending twelve years as a slave on a […]
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in prison? In solitary confinement? On death row? Now you can know those things and much more about a prisoner’s life by reading what prisoners write at https://prisonwriters.com. “Prison Writers . . . . Where Prisoners have a Voice” is an internet site of […]
a blue-sky day dried grass plumesrise above a patch of cattails… cattails whose headshave long since blown open,now fuzzy and disheveled,nod in the breeze naked tree branchesscratch and clawat a bright blue sky…anxiously waitingto slip from winter bondageand break into bud signs have begun to appear..portents of things to come… the greening of grass…nodding white […]
We all know, or at least have heard of, individuals who spent the last part of their lives in long-term facilities without any quality of life while eating up all of one’s lifetime savings. Medical costs at the end of life are a huge portion of one’s lifetime medical expenses. There are others who have […]
Written by William Styron, one of my favorite authors https://crookedcreek.live/2018/02/26/books-3/ “Sophie’s Choice” is a tragic story of a young Polish woman who was sentenced to a prison camp in Germany during World War II. After her release she holds her heartbreaking family secret within until many years later. When she finally finds the strength to […]
tiny shining star twinkle tiny shining star… beyond the night away so far… in darkest depths of sunless skies… your sparkling leaves me mesmerized… even in the light of day… you shine though millions of miles away… oh star that in the dark of night… guides us with celestial light… your mysteries i’m left to […]
My brother, Steve, lived in California with his family of four children. He had told his kids about Kentucky where he was born and raised. Some things were significant, I guess, but some were just about simple memories. It seems that California, at that time, lacked two staples that he missed, Big Red Soda and […]
Like most of you, I have read “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee more than once. And, of course, I’ve seen the movie based upon this extraordinary book multiple times. I decided to listen to the audio version while riding my Beast. I’m sure you remember this contraption but in case you do not […]
Life has been an adventure and I just realized that sounds like it is coming to an end. That isn’t what I mean, but after seventy-seven years on this orb, I have much to look back on. Education was fun and my career was satisfying, but pure joy only comes from sharing life with those […]
Like most of you, I imagine, I read “The Call of the Wild” by Jack London years ago. I remembered the short book to be about a sweet dog who returned to the wild and lived happily ever after. This week, while riding the Beast, a.k.a. my Cardio Strider, I decided to listen to the […]
Those of you who have followed this blog for a long time know how much I have enjoyed walking, especially in the parks near my home. I loved enjoying the changing seasons, animals such as deer which I often saw and just the exhilarating feel of being out in nature. A year or so ago […]
It has been a year since the pandemic began here in the United States. At that time, none of us knew what we were in store for. We were innocent and naive thinking we’d be inconvenienced for a short time. Now we know the hardships COVID19 is capable of causing. We wear masks, try to […]
Snow came down and downSnow, sleet, ice, freezing rain, tooEnough is enough
This poem by Sylvia (Mattingly, my niece) really touched a chord with me. During the past twelve months of pandemic many days have felt sorrowful, burdensome and hollow. I’m so grateful though, that there are days that which are full, full of love, caring, helping. Both kinds of days make up our lives for which […]
Each day we hear statistics regarding the number of COVID 19 cases and deaths occurring. We hear local, state, national and global figures. Our reactions vary depending on our own experiences with the pandemic. Unfortunately, we can become indifferent to the barrage of numbers unless it has affected us personally. Numbers we don’t often hear […]
Let’s wrap this month up! I’m ready for March. How about you? DATE SPECIAL AWARENESS February 16 World Voice Day (maintain your vocal health) February 20 World Day of Social Justice February 21 International Mother Language Day February 22 A Day Without News (honoring journalists) February 22 World Thinking Day/International Scouts Day/Founders Day February 27 […]
A few days ago I shared with you the adventures of a bald eagle family in Florida. I hope that you have checked in on the live cam awaiting their return to the nest. If not, take a look at: https://dickpritchettrealestate.com/eagle-feed.html Looking at that huge nest which is home to this family got me thinking […]
Celebrate! DATE SPECIAL AWARENESS February 11 International Day of Women and Girls in Science February 11 Promise Day February 12 Darwin Day (his birthday) February 12 Hug Day February 13 World Radio Day February 13 Kiss Day (why can’t we kiss and hug on the same day?) February 14 Valentine’s Day February 14 World Whale […]
Off and on for the past several years I have watched bald eagle families on a live cam in Florida. It is sponsored by a realty company and has four cameras active at all times. The main one is aimed into the nest and lets you watch the entire process from egg laying through hatching […]
Now we are on top of this month’s special awareness so we can celebrate or remember as appropriate. DATE SPECIAL AWARENESS February 6 International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation February 7 Rose Day February 8 Propose Day February 9 Chocolate Day February 10 Teddy Day (yes, that’s teddy bear)
February is a month chocked full of special awareness. First of all it is Black History Month and I, personally, think it is a shame that a month (and the shortest at that) has to be set aside for black history. If the contributions of African Americans were taught as part of American History then […]
sliver of a moon only a sliver of a moonhangs above the horizon…a thin white arcagainst the dark night sky… every night i watch it riseand every night it widens…illuminated by the cast offlight of the sun… a waxing crescentgrows with the passing days…blossoming intoa wondrous nocturnal flower… there for us to seein all its […]
“Falling Upward” by Richard Rohr This book attempts to explain the spiritual life during two halves. The author sees this as young adulthood where life’s priorities are strict, organized and goal driven, but a time of making many mistakes. He sees the second half of life, beginning at approximately the fifties, as being more stable, […]
In July of 2020, President Trump reactivated capital punishment for federal crimes. This declaration was in spite of a lack of public support for the death penalty. There had not been a federal execution for 17 years, but he made up for lost time by executing more than three times as many as the federal […]
“The Good Earth” by Pearl S. Buck, published in 1931, is a story of hardship, love, riches and death set in China in the early Twentieth Century. Buck grew up in China, the daughter of US missionaries and then moved back there after college. She knew the culture of that era and after reading this […]
the same nighttime sky i’ve watched another day go by… the sun now setting in the western sky… and with it my heart so deepeningly blue… are we still, the same me the same you? don’t we share, the same earth the same sky… the same moon the same stars in the same nighttime sky? […]
Back in the day there were strict rules enforced by society about the attire of a bride. White dresses were for women who had never been married or had a child. The whiter the dress the more virginal the bride, I suppose. A veil was even added for the mystery of the pure woman beneath. […]
The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman When day comes, we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?The loss we carry. A sea we must wade.We braved the belly of the beast.We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace, and the norms and notions of what “just” is isn’t always justice.And yet […]
“Land of the Lost Souls, My Life on the Streets” by Cadillac Man This book was originally written by Cadillac Man in spiral notebooks over a period of sixteen years. He covers the perils, freedoms and uncertainties of a man living on the streets of New York City. No matter how many homeless people you’ve […]
2020 ThenPandemic COVID19We want it over 2021Capitol InsurrectionWho expected this? Who would have indeed?All those paying attentionWill it be over? No one knows for surePeace and harmony might comeOr more rioting What is the cause here?Plenty blame to go aroundArrest each one now A new day comes soonJanuary twentiethHold our breath ’til then. Title photo […]
“The Second Grave” by Carl Wedekind Attorney Wedekind writes about violence in Kentucky’s history beginning in 1742 and through the end of the twentieth century. His purpose is to demonstrate that as the state has transitioned from the days of lynchings, duels and family feuds abolishing capital punishment should naturally follow. The reasons most often […]
Depression Glass Depression glass sounds, well, depressing. It is far from it as can be seen in the photos below. Depression glass was made from 1929 to 1939 in the United States during the, you guessed it, Depression. Such pieces in beautiful colors of pink, yellow and green, are collectors pieces today and I have […]
“The Sun Does Shine, How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row” by Anthony Ray Hinton – with Lara Love Hardin In 1985 “Ray” Hinton was a twenty-nine year old man living with his beloved Mother and working a full time job within the community. He wasn’t perfect. He had written a few bad […]
Most of us will not be sorry to say, “Good-Bye” to 2020, but if we are here to discuss it we can be grateful for the survival. With so many throughout the world succumbing to COVID19 we are lucky to be welcoming a New Year. I wish a happy and safe new year to each […]
the visit upon waking, the first day of this new year, i opened my back door to find visitors… not just the usual gathering, but an unorthodox menagerie… visitors of the most extraordinary kind… a boastful bluejay flashing his brilliant wings… a haughty mockingbird exhibiting his boisterous nature… a bashful carolina […]
This New York Times bestseller, “Separated – Inside an American Tragedy,” was published in July of this year. The author, Jacob Soboroff, is a TV journalist who won the 2019 Walter Cronkite Award for Individual Achievement by a National Journalist and the HIllman Prize for Broadcast Journalism that same year. Soboroff witnessed firsthand in Texas, […]
My family tradition is to celebrate Christmas (the Mass of Christ) and I wish a Merry Christmas to all those who celebrate Christ. I know there are other traditions of faith and festivity and I wish Happy Holidays to all readers according to your customs and beliefs. Photos by Pixabay
The “Monday Book Review” (“The Other Wes Moore”) was scheduled for January 4, 2021 but for some reason WORDPRESS decided it should go out on Tuesday, December 22, 2020. Just thought I’d add this note of explanation so you’d know I really do know it isn’t Monday!!! Although, in truth, somedays I’m not sure what […]
“The Other Wes Moore” by Wes Moore This story is both heartbreaking and enlightening. Two children with the same name grew up at the same time in similar conditions. Each was fatherless and each struggled in school and the “hood.” As adults one is a Rhodes Scholar and Military Officer, the other is in prison […]
If you didn’t see it last night you may be in luck and still able to see Jupiter and Saturn close together in the sky. I expected a artistic “Star of Bethlehem” but it looked more like a very large and bright star. By blowing up a photo of the conjunction you could actually see […]
snow devils the frigid arctic wind stirs up snow devils that spin and twist in a cold driven rage spin drift sprays off the rooftops as the cold polar air sinks and plunges like a thick heavy weight toward the ice crusted ground the air looks solid and dimensional as though one could reach out […]
Crooked Creek now has 500 followers! Pictures by Pixabay
Christmas Season It is upon us full swing! Are you enjoying the season? Each family is different regarding what timeframe makes up the Christmas season. I know some people who start shopping in autumn and always put up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. Others wait for December, but we all know that commercial […]
On Christmas Day in this Covid year,Let’s Zoom Zoom Zoom.There are other ways to spread cheer.Let’s Zoom Zoom Zoom. Mailing cards and I O Us.Certificates for grub and booze.Another time to meet and schmooze.For now let’s Zoom Zoom Zoom. Presence and presents both can wait,‘Til a later, safer date.Only then can we clean the plate.For […]
May your Hanukkah season be filled with love and joy. Photos by Pixabay
So many things are easier when done with a team. My husband, Raymond, and I were a team of two for over fifty years. We could make up the bed in seconds, one on each side. Preparing a meal, whether for the two of us or a big family gathering, was a cinch as we […]
Masks, hand washing, social distancing, Three easy things to do that saves lives, but they have to be done correctly. Distancing = six feet separation. Hand washing with soap and water for twenty seconds. Masks cover the nose and mouth. I am sick of encountering people with their mask placed UNDER the nose! What part […]
my gingko of origins that rise from lands of jade with fan-shaped leaves so fittingly displayed a crown of yellow foliage fills my view so strikingly against a sky so blue then suddenly they fall without a sound yellow leaves now drifting to the ground a skirt of gold now lying at my feet a […]
In March, I began shopping for groceries via Kroger’s Click List. That seemed pretty simple in the beginning. You go Online, list the groceries you want and then they designate a time for you to pick them up. Employees bring it to your car, load it up, hand you your receipt and you go home […]
MONDAY BOOK REVIEW “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), has been called America’s Mandela and after reading this book I think that is fitting. The book has been awarded many honors and is a #1 New York Times bestseller. Stevenson, a lawyer, has spent his entire professional […]
wicked cold evening it’s mid November and a cold drive home . . . i’m surrounded by evidence of progress and infrastructure in the asphalt serpent that i travel on . . . the bridges of iron and concrete that span a winding river . . . the steel and glass monoliths that stretch skyward […]
Sometimes we do the smallest kindnesses without giving any thought to what the lasting effect might be. I was thinking of this recently as I made Forgotten Cookies https://crookedcreek.live/2019/12/15/forgotten-cookies/ for a loved one. That recipe was given to me by a dear neighbor over fifty years ago. I’m sure that when she shared that with […]
MONDAY BOOK REVIEW “Paradise” by Toni Morrison Toni Morrison is a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer winning author and “Paradise” is one of her many bestselling books. That being said, it is not an easy book to read, especially at first. Each chapter is named for a different woman who is a pivotal character in this […]
Monarchs hatch on milkweed plants in North America and then spend the winter in Mexico. Twenty years ago, there were at least a billion Monarchs in North America and now there are ninety-three million thanks to herbicides*. Shame on us. Since we as humans are responsible for this loss we need to do something about […]
the lovely peace of solitude in the woods i find the lovely peace of solitude where the only sounds i hear are the chirp of birds… the rustle of wings in the undergrowth… the forage of squirrels in dry leaves… and the occasional trickle of water i follow a stream that parallels the trail… leading […]
Book Review Monday “Lab Girl” by Hope Jahren is a book that covers it all and does it brilliantly. Jahren is a serious scientist whose excitement about her work is infectious. She studies soil, seeds, plants, and especially trees and it is hard for the reader to not become involved in her work in the […]
A week ago, I realized that Elliott was ill. First, he became very vocal. He followed me around meowing and looking at me expectantly. Soon I saw that he was frequenting his litter box with no results. It was Saturday afternoon and our vet’s office was closed so off we go, to Elliott’s chagrin, to […]
The Atomic Bomb Seventy-five years ago the United States dropped the first ever atomic bombs on two cities in Japan, killing 225,000 human lives. The additional injuries and illnesses leading to slow deaths are not calculable. There is no dearth of information and horrific photographs to document this hell that befell the people of Hiroshima and […]
Tomorrow is Election Day in the United States. If you have not already voted, please plan now on voting tomorrow, your last chance. This is an important election and if you care about the future of our country now is your chance to have you say. Appropriate Poem by Pat Bush Tuesday morning, I will […]
As always Halloween was fun at the Bynum’s. Dianne and Floyd had everything spooky for family and Trick or Treaters!
BOOK REVIEW – “Frankenstein” Mary Shelley, the young author of “Frankenstein,” said she wanted to write a story that “would speak to the mysterious fears of our nature and awaken thrilling horror — one to make the reader dread to look round, to curdle the blood, and quicken the beatings of the heart.” I know […]
silent woodland on an autumn day i stepped onto a well-worn path and entered the forest, enveloped by a blanket of warm rich colors that pulsed under a vibrant blue sky as i walked, the path descended then ascended in return, creating a repetitious pattern of undulations like a roller coaster carpet of dirt and […]
BOOK REVIEW MONDAY “Across That Bridge” by John Lewis John Lewis was a United States Congressman and Civil Rights leader. While peacefully demonstrating he was beaten and arrested forty times and this books draws on these experiences. Throughout this autobiography Lewis, who died earlier this year, stresses how the US protests and demonstrations of the […]
100 Years of Voting! Women were granted the right to vote with the 19th Amendment to the U. S. Constitution ratified in 1920. That victory came after over 100 years of fighting lead by strong American women, called suffragettes, who were tired of being overlooked. Those women risked their lives for the right to cast […]
I had barely started dating my future husband when he invited me to attend the Kentucky State Fair with him. I didn’t know him well, but I definitely wanted to make a good impression on him as we walked around all the exhibits. I liked looking at the arts and crafts. He wanted to see […]
ADHD Awareness Month Adopt a Shelter Dog Month American Pharmacists Month Bat Appreciation Month Breast Cancer Awareness Month Celebrating the Bilingual Child Month Computer Learning Month Country Music Month Down Syndrome Awareness Month Dyslexia Awareness Month Emotional Intelligence Awareness Month Emotional Wellness Month Fair Trade Month Family History Month German-American Heritage Month Global Diversity Awareness […]
The pandemic has changed the way we do everything. All visits with my friends and family are outdoors and that is fine in the nice weather we’ve been having. Recently I was invited to a friend’s house in Floyd Knobs, IN. It is in a beautiful setting with trees of all kinds around the house. […]
Monday Book Review “The Jane Austen Book Club” by Karen Joy Fowler Another older book that won the New York Times bestseller prize. Another book made into a movie, this one by Sony Pictures. The author has written five other books, none that I had heard of before picking up this one. This review will […]
Why is it so hard to lose a dog? Having a dog die is heartbreaking. Having to euthanize one is worse. I had that experience many years ago and years after that with a cat. As much as I love my cats, I believe that the bond one has with their dog is stronger. It […]
Monday Book Review “Late Migrations” by Margaret Renkl This is another book borrowed from a friend, that I would not have chosen to buy, but which I thoroughly enjoyed. I keep wanting to call this a “feel good” book, but then I recall that it contained some painful stories of disappointment and loss. Somehow the […]
Do you believe in ghosts? I cannot honestly answer that question. I’m open to the possibility but that is based upon the experiences of others rather than anything that I have personally witnessed. Stories from people who I trust have certainly made me wish for a personal encounter. A friend of mine has had several […]
Monday Book Review “The Accidental Tourist” by Anne Tyler This is an old book that I borrowed from a friend. It was published in 1985 and made into a movie with A List actors. It’s a New York Times bestseller, so it has to be good, right? Actually it was a pretty good read. It […]
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month “Domestic violence” describes a range of situations from emotional and physical threats to injury or even murder. There is nothing “domestic” about “violence.” “Relationship Violence” is sometimes used in media reporting and I strongly support this more accurate terminology. Some prefer “intimate partner violence,” but in my opinion this comes up short. First, it […]
silent woodland on an autumn day i stepped onto a well worn path and entered the forest, enveloped by a blanket of warm rich colors that pulsed under a vibrant blue sky as i walked, the path descended then ascended in return, creating a repetitious pattern of undulations like a roller coaster carpet of dirt […]
Fifteen year-old Zoe has crossed over the rainbow bridge. Elliott and I miss her so much. She was a very good girl, reticent but sweet. .
Another Book Review There are many books out about the current President of the United States. One, written by President Trump’s niece, was reviewed a couple of days ago and it seems this is a good time to follow up with another bestseller. “Rage” is written by the well-known and respected writer, Bob Woodard, who […]
Book Review Monday “Too Much and Never Enough – How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man” by Mary Trump, PhD Mary Trump is the niece of the President of the United States. In this book she writes about her family in detail and claims to know what makes Donald J. Trump the kind […]
at dusk at dusk, i leave, just as the lightning bugs arrive, the warm glow of yellow lights softly pulsing… tapping out a unique version of Morse code… the white, billowy clouds of a summer day, lose dimension and become shadowy silhouettes pasted flatly against a twilight sky… a yard ablaze with colorful flowerbeds, earlier […]
Book Review Monday “Reforesting Faith” by Matthew Sleeth, MD This book was a gift from my sister-in-law. When I first saw it I wondered if it was about religion or about saving the trees. It turns out that it is about both. I have read the Bible my whole life, but I never read it […]
The Plant From Hell We moved into our new condo in the spring of 2013 leaving behind a big yard and koi ponds and all kinds of trees and flowers. The condo has a small courtyard with a patio and room for a few plants. When it came to plants my husband never understood “few.” […]
Alyssa Smith was born with biliary atresia, a condition of the liver which would be incompatible with life by the time she was around three-years-old. She needed a liver transplant but chances of an infant donor becoming available were bleak. In those days only a cadaveric donor liver transplant was possible in the United States. […]
People Who Are Hit the Hardest by John Pavlovitz https://johnpavlovitz.com/2020/09/16/the-people-hit-hardest-this-year/
What Are You Feeling? These are unprecedented times of pandemic, wild fires, hurricanes, racial tension and political uncertainty. We experience so many emotions at the same time and we wonder how to deal with any one of them. Perhaps one way to sort out our feelings is to realize that we are enduring profound grief. […]
Book Review Monday “The Daughter’s Tale” by Armando Lucas Correa An eighty year-old woman in New York City in 2015 receives a box of letters from long ago and seven decades of secrets spill forth. The shock of learning about her past was devastating both physically and emotionally. At this point the story switches to […]
I unexpectedly heard this old song today and it struck me as being a good inspiration for the world we are currently living in. In spite of pandemics, raging fires, racial injustice, and political wars we must have hope. We must wait until the darkness is over. WHISPERING HOPE by Septimus Winner Soft as the […]
The Covid-19 pandemic has hit Indigenous communities in the United States the hardest. Just weeks ago, the Navajo Nation had the highest per capita rate of cases in the entire country. Yet in the midst of this unprecedented global crisis, the current administration is seizing the opportunity to open more fracking and drilling in the Greater […]
Are you registered to vote? If not, please consider registering now so that you are prepared to place your vote in November. There have been few times in the history of the United States when a vote was more important. Do your duty as an American, PLEASE. Shamefully in the last election (2018) nationwide turnout […]
A few days ago I heard an alarmingly loud noise and had no idea what had happened. As I walked to the front of my condo I saw that a bird had flown into my storm door. It was lying lifelessly on my porch. Remembering what my husband had done in similar circumstances years earlier, […]
This is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Week. During this pandemic it is more important than ever that we be there for each other. You don’t have to be a mental health professional to make a difference. Being aware of the signs, knowing where to turn for help are things we can all do for ourselves […]
Today is the Day of the Fillies! The Kentucky Oaks horse race is for female horses called “fillies” and runs each year the day before the Kentucky Derby. https://crookedcreek.live/2020/05/02/this-should-have-been-derby-day/ A few things, besides gender, are different about the Oaks race. The fillies carry 121# of weight as compared to 126# for the Derby and the […]
The Arctic Refuge in Alaska is home to polar bears and migrating caribou. It also promises wealth from oil. After over sixty years of protection, the current administration has just finalized plans to open the area to drilling and fracking. “I do believe there could be a lease sale by the end of the year,” Interior Secretary […]
Several months ago https://crookedcreek.live/2019/11/14/haiku/ we discussed Haiku and I asked readers to submit their original poems. A new reader, Jan Beekman, has done just that and here is her Haiku and her lovely photograph to go with it. The yellow blooms inspired her poetry. Lilies drop petals Long before other flowers Best not to cut […]
Like most other people during this pandemic I’ve been staying close to home. Even family get-togethers are not safe in these COVID days. Once every couple of weeks I drive one mile up the road to pick up my pre-ordered groceries that workers safely place in my car. That’s it as far as going places […]
Welcome Back Readers! I’ve missed you, but I thought of you often as I worked on Crooked Creek, trying to make it better and perhaps more relevant. Most changes will barely be perceptible, but some require an explanation. In the very beginning I declared Crooked Creek to be a “Politics Free” zone https://crookedcreek.live/2016/09/03/declaration/ and I’ve pretty […]
Haven House Mission which I have discussed here on Crooked Creek several times https://crookedcreek.live/2019/07/07/haven-house/ has undergone significant changes this summer. As of this month the Park Memorial United Methodist Church in Jeffersonville, IN has become the new owner. Haven House is now Catalyst Rescue Mission. The Mission Statement is: “to help end homelessness in Southern Indiana by […]
2020 Appointments As we age we have more medical appointments and so my calendar is full of them. Appointments today are nothing like in the past. Thanks to the Novel Corona Virus everything is complicated. And each provider’s office has a different way of approaching safe environments for patients. Some work and some confuse. I’ve […]
Return to Pope Lick Park This year for whatever the reason, I have not been going to the park to walk as I’ve done for the past four years. I’ve missed it and today I returned. It was sunny and beautiful. There is no place I’d rather see the changing seasons. Today was typical August […]
Book Review Monday “How to be an Antiracist” by Ibram X. Kendi I’ve wanted to read this New York Times bestseller since I first heard Kendi interviewed on TV. I have now read it and I am disappointed. I had hoped to learn specific actions that I could take as an antiracist in more than name […]
“So I say to you, walk with the wind, brothers and sisters, and let the spirit of peace and the power of everlasting love be your guide.” John Lewis July 2020 Flag photo by Pixabay
It didn’t happen overnight, but slowly the ideas for blog posts have been reduced to a trickle. There are a few technical problems with the WordPress platform, but if I had more enthusiasm I could, no doubt, work through those. Although I have some serious health problems I’m dealing fine with those. COVID lockdown? It […]
“Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng I don’t read a lot of novels, but I am very glad that I did not miss this one. The author, a Harvard graduate, has woven the lives of two disparate families into a web that is forever binding. The story involves teenage love, adult secrets and subtle racism. […]
sanctuary a summer rain blows in during the heat of day and i seek shelter beneath the canopy of a bald cypress waiting for the rain to abate, i examine the trunk from where it rises out of the ground to where it terminates against a sky of gray as straight as an arrow, dressed […]
America has lost a true hero, Rep. John Lewis has left us to carry on his fight for equality in America. It is not enough to grieve his loss. We must stand up, speak up for justice for all Americans. He said it best: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, […]
I like to keep Milk Bone on hand for the neighborhood dogs, especially Bailey the little Westie next door. He is always so polite, begs, sits, and then eats every crumb. I kept the treats in a ziplock bag in a large basket on my porch. That worked for a little while. One morning I […]
Rob Bell is a bestselling author and international teacher and speaker. I was first introduced to his writing by a friend who never steers me wrong when it comes to books. I have read two of Bell’s books and plan to read more in the future. Since the subtitles tell one exactly what the books […]
For almost four months now life has been pretty boring due to precautions around the Corona Virus. No eating out, no movies, no shopping, no family gatherings, even medical appointments are curtailed. One thing that I am thankful for is that I have a front porch. It isn’t large, but 3 or 4 people can […]
“When Breath Becomes Air” by Paul Kalanithi If you have questions about life and/or death this book is a must-read. Paul Kalanithi, MD was a brilliant neurosurgeon and scientist who strove to meet his patients’ needs emotionally as well as physically. He had many questions about death while he held the life of his patients […]
Covid Calamity Here we are almost four months in and things are not improving. I’ve posted my thoughts and feelings about the isolation involved with staying safe and I must admit that my resolve to stay productive is waning a bit. As a result, I’m reading a lot of books. You’ve probably noticed all the book […]
Dianne Bynum is the most prolific reader I know currently. I like to include some of her book reviews to give you a look at different genres. She reads a wide variety of books and I think you will enjoy hearing from her from time to time. Here’s the latest: “Carter Beats the Devil” by […]
“A Woman of No Importance” by Sonia Purnell This book is about Virginia Hall, a woman of great importance who rarely received recognition for her accomplishments as an American Spy. She was born of privilege but spent her entire adult life fighting for peace during World War II and the years that followed. In 1942 […]
“Educated” by Tara Westover Tara Westover’s memoir is both enlightening and frightening. She tells the story of her life growing up within a large family of children who were “homeschooled” in name only. They actually had no education at all except what they taught themselves. The author was seventeen-years-old the first time she entered a […]
Do you follow your gut instincts and if so are they usually right? I believe we are given instincts for a reason and I do try to pay attention to what my “gut” tells me. If I am in a place that is potentially unsafe and I have the feeling I should not take a […]
It’s no accident that: We learned about Helen Keller instead of W.E.B. DuBois We learned about the Watts and L.A. Riots, but not Tulsa or Wilmington. We learned that George Washington’s dentures were made from wood, rather than the teeth from slaves. We learned about black ghettos, but not about Black Wall Street. We learned […]
Tonight, the President of the United States will hold a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Many believe the rally should not be held there because of the city’s history of violence against African Americans almost 100 years ago. Tulsa was only one of many cities wherein Black Americans were tortured, beaten, burned, or hanged during the […]
