family
Family unites us; but it's also a challenge. All about fighting to stay together, and loving every moment of it.
Homage
There’s a part of each of us that will forever be deeply connected to where we grew up. Our hometowns etch themselves in our souls, and traces of our upbringings weave themselves throughout the fabric of our futures. For me, that’s rural Kansas - so rural that my hometown was not even home to a traffic light or gas station. In that small town country life, discovering avenues for recreation was often up to me. I never had to look very far and—more often than not, opportunities for entertainment found me. Some of my fondest childhood memories are rooted in lazy Sundays at the saddle shop on Main Street; those hours quickly became my favorite way to spend weekends. The workers there were so skillful and I was enamored by the way their scissors glided through the leather hides, how easily their awls punched through the pieces. Just as effortlessly, my desire for entertainment became a yearn for a craft; this seed was planted in those early years, but it was up to me to water it.
By Marissa Edwards5 years ago in Humans
The Joyous Rebellion of Pockets
Walking by the lake, my daughter casually pulls a candy out of her pocket, pulls on the crinkly twists on either end, liberates the treat into her mouth, then hands me the still-sticky cellophane wrapper, which I stuff with a small thrill of pleasure into my own pocket. It will join a few coins, a pretty rock collected from the beach and a seasoning of dirt or dried flower petals plus pocket fuzz. I smile to myself, feeling slightly naughty and just a little rebellious even after all these years – it’s still liberating!
By Deborah Kellogg5 years ago in Humans
Holy Threads
“Hamma, what are these things that look like maracas but don’t make any noise?” I asked my grandma, so nicknamed because my oldest cousin struggled making the “gr” sound in grandma. It came out of his little mouth as “Hamma” instead, and the name stuck through 13 grandchildren and a still-growing number of great grandchildren.
By Suzy Scullin5 years ago in Humans
My little hobby shop
My Granny was the matriarch of our family. She lived to the ripe old age of 92 and dispensed wisdom, love and creativity to everyone she met in her short life. My other grandmother (referred to as Big Mama) died in her early senior years and gave me the most influencing moment of my whole life. Granny taught me to cook homemade cat head biscuits, how to can and how to sew. Big Mama taught me to crochet, make tallow candle and soap! The influence of both of these remarkable women lead me to open my dream hobby shop. HandmadebyC3GAC is a small produce supplier, soy wax candle, homemade soap shop that supplies local residents in a small town in Alabama and online shoppers creative artisan soaps and candles. Friskars sissors are a part of all my creative projects that I sell in my shop. Both of my grandmothers used friskars sissors as they were the best sharpest, straightest cutting on the market. Each of my grandmothers taught me wisdom of some kind but My fondest memories are of the summer of 1977.
By Leda green5 years ago in Humans
Happy, Happy Birthday To Me
For most people a birthday is a time for celebration and happiness but, for others not so much. Is it a bad thing that I just look at my birthday every year as another year closer to dying? I know it sounds depressing but, it is very true. My feelings of my birthday started to get more like this quite recently. As of May 29th 2019, about a week before my birthday my son's father Nick died. That really took a huge hole out of my heart and the space is still there and has yet to be filled. Sadly, to make matters worse his Mother Renee passed away on October 29, 2020. I get even more upset around my birthday now because, Renee's birthday was June 16, 1966! I miss her so much and think of her constantly. Renee was like a second Mother to me.
By Karly Krull5 years ago in Humans
It's all Kevin McAllister's fault!
Spoiler alert: Santa is not real! Let us set the scene. It’s Christmas, one of those magical ones! It’s cold. Thick fluffy snow is softly falling outside. I can smell the roast in the oven and mom is kneading the dough for some cinnamon buns. I have a feeling; it will be a successful night! I walk to the living room and look at the Christmas tree. What is this? What ….I mean…what is going on? What are these …these….BAGS doing under the tree? I run to mom and complain.
By Helen Tootsi5 years ago in Humans
My Toddler Got Her Period: A Strange but True Medical Story
My daughter had just turned two when she got her first period. It came with all the challenges we expected - moodiness, emotional sensitivity, even cravings for chocolate. It was a very typical menstrual cycle, really.
By Robyn Reisch5 years ago in Humans
You Are The Creator Of Your Happiness
As kids you see your Mom as a Superhero. They can accomplish it all. As an adult you start to understand the work that is required in their efforts. I am currenlty the same age my mom was when she had me. My mom is the most inspirational and positive person I have ever met. I am a middle child, and I've been screaming about "Middle Child Syndrome" since I could remember.
By Willie Dee5 years ago in Humans
