For the longest time, when people asked me what my thing was about birthdays, I would say it was about feeling pretty, buying all the sparkly things, eating dessert first, and being surrounded by people I love and who love me back. My birthday almost always falls during the week of Memorial Day at the end of May. Growing up in a small town in the South, that meant school was either already out or very close to it. It was hot and humid, and the rush of summer collided with my

Wrendition of Love A story of the family and the love affair of the wrens. The couple sat on the patio drinking coffee every morning. It was their little ritual, to enjoy the calm before the busyness of the day distracted them and stole all of their attention. The birds chirped, the wind chimes sang in harmony, and the fountain lulled them in the background while they talked about everything and absolutely nothing at all. It was a peaceful time that they had come to treasure

Front Porch thoughts on Mother's Day! With Mother’s Day upon us, it has me all in my feelings about this holiday. My mom passed away nearly twenty-three years ago, and I still miss her so much. If you are a person who tends to overlook Mother’s Day, this column is especially for you. All my life, I have known men who protest this holiday along with most other holidays set aside to express love through gift giving, pomp and circumstance. Now, anyone who has known me for five m

Life is Sweeter at Grandmas They’ve always said that being a grandparent is where life truly begins. Now, I’m not exactly sure who the collective “they” is, but whoever they are… I believe them. I know that being a Lolli has a way of filling my heart in places I didn’t even know were empty. It doesn’t matter what they call you, Lolli or Pop, Honey or Poppa, or Maw-Maw those little hands have a way of wrapping around your heart and easily taking top priority in your life. My g

Life is so much sweeter in the South! I was born in the 1970s in a small Louisiana bayou town where the pace was slow, the tea was always cold and sweet, and everybody knew your name. It was the kind of place that felt a lot like Mayberry, you half expected Opie to come walking down the street just as the streetlights flickered on. Every self-respecting Southerner knows you don’t need a watch to tell time. All the kids simply knew they had better be home when the streetlights