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Burglars in a Mobile Museum
The Louvre may have had its precious gems snatched in broad daylight, but could such a heist happen here in Mobile, Alabama? Should we post guards beside the Civil War cannons or keep an extra eye on the old, worn shoes that once dodged horse-and-buggies along the cobblestone streets in the Port City?Should the Mobile Carnival Museum…
Read MoreHigh School Clubs Prevent Zombies
I thought about my high school club after buying some super-soft, spritzy hairspray at the drugstore where the teen cashier acted like a mute zombie. “Hi,” I said. She didn’t even give me a grunt. Finally, she pointed to the screen with a single syllable: “Here.” I took my purchase and offered a “thank you,”…
Read MoreWhat I did this summer
Books and leftover salad by the pool. The perfect day. Autumn is finally here and our summertime was fairly quiet. No hurricanes ( so far) and no travel. My lesson learned this summer is that authoring books isn’t for the fainthearted. The follow-up marketing and sales is difficult for creative types and I struggle with…
Read MoreHow to stop the spitting
This story first appeared in Lagniappe News, Mobile, Alabama. Children and football players, please step back in time with me to my kindergarten classroom, when Little Bradley, better known as “The Spitter,” thought he could launch a slimy missile onto the face of another child. The Philadelphia Eagles’ Jalen Carter and the University of Florida’s…
Read MoreWe’ll take Dixieland Delight
We’ll take Dixieland Delight First printed in Lagniappe News, Mobile, Alabama To my friends who cheer for the University of Alabama, As a longtime resident and native Alabamian, who is also a graduate of Florida State University, I’ve come to collect the spoils of battle. Don’t panic, all I’ll take is a one-year lease on…
Read MoreIf you give a co-ed a chandelier
Here’s a replay from my 2019 column for everyone taking a daughter to college this month. Whether it’s grandma’s silver gumbo spoons, a tiara or a spinning baton, Southern girls have always been drawn to sparkly things. That’s why the trend to “bling-up” the dormitories of co-eds around the South has taken off like wildfire.…
Read MoreSummer plans
Here’s a quick note to tell you about a few upcoming author events and a short – temporary leave of absence. First of all, if you are in the area of Fairhope, Alabama this coming Saturday, June 21st, you’re invited to attend my writing seminar at the Eastern Shore Presbyterian Church Arts Atelier – From…
Read MoreKeep Fairhope Funky
Even those who are unfamiliar with my hometown of Fairhope, Alabama, may find this story about efforts to save The Poet of Tolstoy Park’s house interesting. It’s a strange house with a unique literary twist. And of course . . . our small town is abuzz! There’s always something stirring in Fairhope, be it fact,…
Read MoreThere is a river
The quote below from Andy Andrews’ Instagram page reminded me of a story about my cousin, Dr. Kenneth Harrison, who passed away last January at the age of 92. My father’s first cousin, Kenneth Harrison, was raised on a farm, then attended Florida State University where he earned a degree in chemistry and later enrolled…
Read MoreRed Velvet Panic; A Southern Crisis
It’s official: the government has found more artificial coloring in our beloved Southern Red Velvet Cake than in the entire soprano section of the Methodist church choir. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy has vowed to rid American food of toxic ingredients, which is noble, but it seems Southerners may have to…
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