Girardville, PA is in in the central anthracite coal region of Pennsylvania. It is perhaps 70 miles or so northeast of Harrisburg, PA and not far from Pottsville, PA (home for Yuengling Brewery, the oldest operating brewery in the country). The photo shows my Grant family heritage. From left to right in the grown-up row… Continue reading MEMORY OF THE DAY: ANOTHER GIRARDVILLE STORY
MEMORY OF THE DAY: MARDI GRAS
Mardi Gras is a tradition in many places. Whether it is called Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday in English) or Carnival in some countries it is the last hurrah before the long 40 days of Lenten deprivation. The most famous Mardi Gras celebrations are in New Orleans, but if you ask anyone from Mobile, they will… Continue reading MEMORY OF THE DAY: MARDI GRAS
MEMORY OF THE DAY: PITCHERS AND CATCHERS
As sure a sign of spring as the groundhog not seeing his shadow or the first robin of the year is that in 2021 Major League Baseball pitchers and catchers report on February 17 and that is next week. This year we really have no idea what the season may look like, but I am… Continue reading MEMORY OF THE DAY: PITCHERS AND CATCHERS
MEMORY OF THE DAY: NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
When I graduated from college and became a second lieutenant in the US Army, I really had little idea how much I didn’t know. Within a couple months of graduating, I was being welcomed in my Officer Basic Course at Fort Bliss, TX. We learned a lot about how the Army works and about the… Continue reading MEMORY OF THE DAY: NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS
THE TREE
Today I am breaking away from my usual Memory Stories to share another story. As a storyteller, not all of my stories are about me or my experiences. Here is an example of what I mean. THE TREE Once there was a forest. This forest had many trees of every variety that could grow in… Continue reading THE TREE
MEMORY OF THE DAY: PLAQUEMINES PARISH.
Let’s turn the “Way Back Machine” to June 1966. The summer of 1966 found me living and working in Plaquemine Parish to support my exorbitant lifestyle of the period (paying tuition and fees for college, eating, wearing clothes and paying rent in Monroe, LA. Oh, and the more than occasional beer). That summer I had… Continue reading MEMORY OF THE DAY: PLAQUEMINES PARISH.
MEMORY OF THE DAY: SUMMER ON PHILLY LANE
Good afternoon, friends. How many of you grew up on or near farms or worked on farms growing up? Today, I invite you to join me in my time machine. We are going back to Northeast Louisiana in the 1950s. This is a trip covering about 65 years chronologically and 110 years culturally. I hope… Continue reading MEMORY OF THE DAY: SUMMER ON PHILLY LANE
SAN FRANCISCO
My first visit to San Francisco was in 1972 on my way home from Vietnam. I landed at Travis AFB and took a cab to the San Francisco airport to get out as quickly as I could. We were there with our friends Jim and Debbie Garrett in 1977. I went back on a TDY… Continue reading SAN FRANCISCO
BRANDENBURG GATE, OUR BERLIN ADVENTURE
This photo was taken in 1980, nine years before the unification of the Germanys and East and West Berlin. The red and white striped barrier separated the two Berlins. In this photo we were on the West Berlin side and the gate is, obviously, on the East Berlin side. If it weren’t for Nancy in… Continue reading BRANDENBURG GATE, OUR BERLIN ADVENTURE
MEMORY OF THE DAY: NOT A PONY!
On September 22, 1949 I was a carefree 3 years old ONLY CHILD. That all changed on September 23. On that auspicious day I went from ONLY CHILD to BIG BROTHER status just like that. I didn’t really understand what all that would mean, but I am told that I would have preferred a pony.… Continue reading MEMORY OF THE DAY: NOT A PONY!
