Vic

Sometimes you have to lose a lot, just so you can learn to be grateful. That’s the lesson I learned, not long ago….
Things hadn’t been all that terrific on the farm, but then abruptly my luck seemed to change. I felt elated. Soon, this ol’ farm gal was going to be riding around in a [...]

She’s an angry, vengeful river–that’s what I’ve always heard. Dangerous as all get-out!
The Missouri’s full of logs, barges, and monstrous jumping carp…not to mention the mangled bodies of foolhardy fishermen, of course. “A heck of a gal!” say the Old Timers. “She’s got a mean streak in her. You’ll stay away from her if you’ve [...]

There we were—my ninety-year old Granny and I, sitting in front of the small-town Grocery, waiting for my mom and my daughter to finish shopping.  Grandma was chattering away in the back seat, but I knew she wasn’t talking to me.
“You feel cold?” she said.  “I don’t want you to cry.”  Granny peered at her [...]

Part 2 of 2. Be sure to read Off To The Land Of Up-side-down first.
On Saturday, I did something very foolish. I was in a hurry as I came to a stop at the intersection just south of town.
Glancing to my right, I saw a pickup truck in the distance. I can beat that [...]

Part 1 of 2. Be sure to read Dead Ends, Detours and the Great Unknown next.
Autumn makes you think about things you’ve never thought of before. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the harvest moon and the hint of adventure on the breeze. Maybe it’s the last stubborn leaf clinging to the maple tree…Or maybe [...]

She swims in the aquarium boldly now…this nondescript little Bluegill who came to me in an unexpected way. Darting amongst the larger fish, she swims unafraid—as undaunted as the name that I gave her…..I call her—-
But wait! I’m getting ahead of my story, folks. We have to start back at the beginning… [...]

It was a day we won’t soon forget. A day that lives in infamy—the Day of the Balloon.
My father called the crew together in the early morning hours, directing us to a newly-planted cornfield at the far corner of the farm. Nearly everyone was there—the kids, grandkids, in-laws and siblings. Even Grandpa [...]

At the ol’ home place, it’s always the same. Every time the kinfolk come to visit, the placard goes up at the front door. “Grand Central Station”, it says. The sign takes its rightful place long before the swirling dust on the road announces the relatives’ arrival.
They are a rowdy bunch—appearing at [...]

It was a bit embarrassing, to say the least.
There I was in the darkness of my daughter’s yard, wielding a flashlight while raking through piles of leaves. Cars slowed on Lane Street, and I could feel eyes staring at me from the dimness.
My daughter appeared briefly in the doorway of her house, accompanied [...]

Ah me!
This is definitely scary.  Here I am on some kind of geek site that I don’t know anything about.  I’m not even sure what a Geek is…
It’s my daughter’s fault that I’m here.   Karissa just won’t let her countrified Mama stay countrified.
But I am grateful to her, of course.  Without her, I’d still be scribbling on a [...]