Joy Neal Kidney's Blog, page 19

Wednesdays With Rita by Paul Kotz

Wednesdays With Ritaby Paul KotzMy mom is hilarious.     We move from room to room for macular degeneration treatments.     “Hey. What is that?” she opens with.     She is pointing to a woman’s tattoo of a dolphin on her forearm.     “It’s my favorite,” says the young nurse.     “Oh, I like your earrings!” Mom charms the young lady.     “Thank you. Rita, what is your birthday?”     “April 14, 1934.”     I listen so I can help when mom can’t hear.     “Mom, you shaved a year off your age!” In my time with her she has never done this.     “Mom, you were born in 1933.”     The nurse said, “No problem, I can’t blame her. I do this myself.”     We all laugh.     We finish up with eye pressure checks and go back to another waiting room.     “Pauly – I am taking up all of your time. If I had candy in my purse, you would get a bunch.”     She continued. “You can check in my purse, but you will just take all of my money!”     “No mom. But, I might take your candy stash.”     I continued. “I never dive into a woman’s purse. It’s dangerous, and I might get lost in there and NEVER get out.”     Then out of the blue, Rita chimes, “Why is that lady wearing skates in here?”     I look to my right, and another young lady waiting with her own mom has very thick souled shoes. She is smiling at me, very understanding.     I add, “Those aren’t skates, but very stylish shoes – plus she gets an added height advantage.” The lady nods and smiles at us. She might think we have lost our minds, or just finds us amusing.     After the shots and visit with the doc mom states, “I can’t see. Can we get something to eat, too?”     “Yes. You will be better tomorrow.” I put on her cool black shades that I got at the State Fair – sponsored by the famous Dairy Bar. The temple bars say, “Undeniably Dairy”.     I drop her off, put her in her lazy girl chair, top her off with a blanket, text my brother and sister her status, and tell mom, “I love you.”     ”I love you more,” is her standard comeback.     She starts crying. I am not sure she knows it is me. She does get confused and mixes up the kids often, so I have my doubts. It doesn’t matter in the long run.     She says nothing is wrong, but I fear she doesn’t want to be alone.     I have learned that holding your mom’s hand and caressing her face is a golden moment.     She stops crying for the moment.     I stay until she falls asleep.     As I exit her apartment, I hope she is sleeping soundly and is feeling at ease. And I smile for a woman who continues to live her life with grace..Dr. Paul E. Kotz writes his winsome stories from the Twin Cities. He’s also Director – Doctorate of Business Administration Program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota and the author of several encouraging books, which would make terrific gifts..Here’s another winsome story about Paul and his mother..Please check out Paul’s Amazon Author Page.

Terrific New Book Ideas for Mother’s Day Gifts

Memoir in the Margins of Psalms by Robin Grunder

What a beautiful idea! Memoir in the Margins of Psalms is a unique journal featuring a verse from each chapter of the book of Psalms along with a writing prompt to guide you in writing stories from your life. The prompts are designed to connect your life experiences with God’s Word, and your responses are designed to connect your story and God’s story for the future generations of your family in this keepsake journal. Robin’s prompts on each page will help you leave a legacy for your family.

Walk With Me by Sheri Smith Shonk

Walk With Me, Book 4 in Sheri Smith Shonk’s Houses of Hope series is just out. Each may be enjoyed without reading the others, but I enjoyed recognizing may of the same characters from getting acquainted with them earlier in the series.

Chemistry was not their problem, but was there hope for a future together? Art teacher Erin McCoy and veterinarian Garrett James both carry baggage from the past, both challenging to overcome. Nudged by friends, family, and scripture verses to put God first. This is such a satisfying story of including God in life, the big things and the small ones. After all, he has promised his followers a hope and a future.

 

The Legacy: A Dual Time-line Novel by Cherie Dargan

The Legacy, Book 2 in Cherie Dargan’s Grandmother’s Treasures series, is filled with quilts and mysteries from the Civil War days, with at least one family member demanding that one mystery never be revealed. The story is rich with details about both whites and blacks escaping from the South during the 1860s. It’s also the love story of Iowa descendants of those folks, and their quest to learn who made the antique Rustic Rose quilt. And whose blood stains were on it? A very satisfying novel.

His Treasured Bride by Jody Hedlund and Patti Stockdale

His Treasured Bride is the second in the Bride Ships: New Voyages series. Daisy Harper is a spunky young woman, having arrived on Vancouver Island on a bride ship, hoping to open a sewing shop to pay for her mother’s voyage from the old country. Having already turned down the offers of ten suitors, she unwittingly becomes involved in a treasure hunt, which she insists being part of, but which involves a marriage of convenience. 

The opinionated Daisy has a husband-requirements list, which grows even after an imperfect wedding, and an adventure with her temporary husband, a handsome mapmaker named Seth Ryann. Blimey, she’d have to learn to ride a horse, and a lot more, before their marriage could be annulled as planned. Thanks to a wise and meddling landlady, a brother, and a trapper, Daisy and Seth work through preconceived notions and painful pasts. 

What about the treasure? Follow Daisy and Seth on their trek through tricky clues, storms, bad guys, and difficult terrain as they hunt for the hoped-for gold. You’ll love the whole delightful adventure.

Patti Stockdale’s first book, Three Little Things, a novel based on her grandparents’ lives during World War I, is also a gem, with a tenacious young heroine! One of my favorites.

Dallas County Freedom Rock® “Selfies” II

The Dallas County Freedom Rock®  is at Minburn, Iowa, just south of the Nineteen14 restored depot, now a bar and grill. It is on the Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail. The weather is perfect to visit one of Iowa’s precious Freedom Rocks®. If you spend time with this one, you might like to sent me a selfie! 

Descendants of Darlene (Wilson) Scar, whose twin brother was Dale (the middle brother on the Freedom Rock®), visited the Wilson brothers in July. Two are the daughters of Darlene’s son Bob Scar. Teresa is from Atlanta. Julie and daughter Lily are from Florida. Chris Scar is the widow of Darlene’s son Dennis Scar, with her daughter Christa, both from Iowa.

I nearly missed this one from two years ago. It included Leora’s Letters and a note from Steve Simpson and Jimmie Kimmel. “. . . As a complete work, this book deserves National recognition. This book is one story, and many stories all at the same time. Told in the words of its own heroes (you hear their voices in their letters) it totally captures & preserves that moment in American & World history of the early 1940’s ~ from the isolated mid-west farm to the farthest reaches around the globe. . . ”

I’m counting this as a selfie, although only Mark Hilliard‘s pickup is in the photo (on the right). He also went to the trouble to pay respects to the family in Perry’s Violet Hill Cemetery. Mark is the reason I included directions in the back of What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers because of the way his truck is pointed. He must have driven around a little in order to find the Wilson stones.

The Dallas County Freedom Rock®, one of 99 Freedom Rocks®, one in each Iowa County (plus a bonus one as a fundraiser for veterans at Adventureland Park), was painted by artist Ray “Bubba” Sorensen of The Freedom Rock.com.

This one was dedicated the month before Leora’s Letters was published. It’s the story of the brothers on the Dallas County Freedom Rock® during WWII. They were tenant farmers about two miles SW of where this memorial stands. I could never have anticipated any of this. I’m so grateful and humbled.

His Treasured Bride by Jody Hedlund and Patti Stockdale

In twenty-four hours, marriage, mystery, and mayhem.

After recently arriving in Vancouver Island on a bride ship, aspiring seamstress Daisy Harper is determined not to rush into a hasty and quarrelsome marriage, a mistake her parents made. To avoid choosing the wrong man, she creates a rigorous list of ten requirements for a potential husband.

Mapmaker Seth Ryann moved to the colony to assist his partially blind brother, a local missionary. They’ll soon return to Ireland, but first, Seth is tasked by a friend to find a treasure of gold hidden in the mountains. Seth has the map to the treasure, but he’s missing the key.

When he discovers Daisy somehow has the key, the two agree to search for the treasure together. They’re left with little choice but to quickly enter a marriage of convenience. As they venture into the wilderness and work together to overcome danger, an undeniable attraction grows. But will they find the treasure only to lose what matters most?

My Thoughts

His Treasured Bride is the second in the Bride Ships: New Voyages series. Daisy Harper is a spunky young woman, having arrived on Vancouver Island on a bride ship, hoping to open a sewing shop to pay for her mother’s voyage from the old country. Having already turned down the offers of ten suitors, she unwittingly becomes involved in a treasure hunt, which she insists being part of, but which involves a marriage of convenience. 

The opinionated Daisy has a husband-requirements list, which grows even after an imperfect wedding, and an adventure with her temporary husband, a handsome mapmaker named Seth Ryann. Blimey, she’d have to learn to ride a horse, and a lot more, before their marriage could be annulled as planned. Thanks to a wise and meddling landlady, a brother, and a trapper, Daisy and Seth work through preconceived notions and painful pasts. 

What about the treasure? Follow Daisy and Seth on their trek through tricky clues, storms, bad guys, and difficult terrain as they hunt for the hoped-for gold. You’ll love the whole delightful adventure.

You may find this book on Amazon in paperback and ebook.

The Authors

Jody Hedlund is the best-selling author of over fifty books and is the winner of numerous awards. She writes sweet historical romances with plenty of sizzle. Wife, mom, teacher, author, kisser of scraped knees, encourager of the downtrodden, guzzler of coffee, and, most importantly, passionate follower of Jesus.  To learn more, please have a look at her website.

Patti Stockdale writes sweet romance full of hope, history, and a good happily ever after. She can’t remember numbers, so she married a statistician. Thanks to him, she’s lived all sorts of places and worked all sorts of jobs. While employed by the NFL, she once answered the phone with the wrong team’s name. She doesn’t work there anymore. For 11 years, she directed the programming at a nonprofit senior center and hosted an annual talent show, rocking a Dolly Parton wig, Annie Oakley boots, and a sweet—although snug—Batman costume. She no longer works there either. These days, Patti writes books and occasionally educational assessments and magazine articles. Here’s the link to her website.

Meadowlarks and Leora’s Stories

Darlene Wilson Scar, Doris Wilson Neal, Lt. Daniel S. Wilson holding Richard Wilson Scar. Minburn farm, April 27, 1944. Doris had returned to Iowa to have her first baby, which they hoped would be a boy. I was born two days before D-Day.

While we were looking at this old photo, Mom told me that during the picture-taking, a meadowlark’s song rippled from a nearby fencepost. Danny remarked that the meadowlark was his favorite bird.

Meadowlarks are mentioned a few times throughout Leora’s Letters, but that bittersweet comment embedded a common early spring countryside bird into the family story.

Junior, Foster Field, Spring 1945: He supposed the corn planters were clicking all over the land by then. He bet that Iowa was really pretty. There were meadowlarks on Matagorda but Junior said they didn’t sing right, they “had just one song.” Iowa’s meadowlarks “have at least two songs and they really sound off!!”

Remarkably similar to the Western Meadowlark in colors and pattern, the Eastern Meadowlark has a very different song.

When I asked Nicholas Dowd if he’d contribute a poem for the book, he located the perfect one he’d written decades earlier in college. It’s called “Meadowlark.”

Its song is at once hopeful and haunting.

Reader (and encourager) Mark Hilliard was moved by the comment about the meadowlark in Leora’s Letters.

Just Her Poetry: Seasons of a Soul by D.L. Finn

Take a journey with D.L. Finn as she blends her love of nature with her deepest emotions. Sit with her on the forest floor observing its tranquil beauty, or stroll along the ocean’s shore admiring the vastness of its horizon. Here in these peaceful moments you’ll be able to experience her thoughts and feelings in the light—and in the darkness. This is a thought-provoking collection of poetry that invites the reader into all the seasons of a soul.

A Couple of Reviews

Daisy titled her review “Lovely Poetry For All Seasons and Reasons”What a beautiful collection of poems by this talented author. I was in the mood to read something steeped in subject broadness. A sampling of how to view life and that’s exactly what was waiting in these pages. DL Finn captured each season’s unique story. She paints nature’s show with words. In Blooming she tells us “Happily pampered in nature’s blooming-I could stay forever.” Taking us into Fall, we’re reminded it’s “a time to rejoice and embrace everything.” The journey continues with delving into our highs and lows with emotions. Her poems ask us to explore our world…society and its exacting ways. Surprise awaits the reader as the journey continues with heartfelt poems about family and vacations. DL Finn’s poetry invite the reader to linger, to savor her words. And I can promise you, it’s something you will choose to do again and again. It’s truly a collection for all seasons and for all reasons.

My thoughts: Dozens of DL Finn’s poems are divided into sections, Nature by seasons, Musing from the Back of a Harley (yes, she really wrote them while riding behind her husband), then Seasons of a Soul through emotions and feelings, plus miscellaneous topics. I especially enjoyed those that revel in all aspects of nature, or from the Back of a Harley, where the poet was happiest. There are darker poems in the Seasons of a Soul, but the positive ones return later in the collection. A mesmerizing collection.

D.L. Finn

D. L. Finn is an independent California local who encourages everyone to embrace their inner child. She was born and raised in the foggy Bay Area, but in 1990 she relocated with her husband, kids, dogs, and cats to Nevada City, in the Sierra foothills. She immersed herself in reading all types of books but especially loved romance, horror, and fantasy. She always treasured creating her own reality on paper. Finally, surrounded by towering pines, oaks, and cedars, her creativity was nurtured until it bloomed. Her creations include children’s books, adult fiction, and poetry. She continues on her adventure with an open invitation to all readers to join her.

She’s written several books. Please check out her website.

How Old is the Photo on the Cover of Leora’s Early Years?

Nelly Murariu @PixBeeDesign designed the cover of Leora’s Early Years, as well as the other Leora books. She also designed the interior and formatted the ebook.

Nelly designed the cover around a 1914 photo of newlyweds, Clabe and Leora Wilson. It was taken in front of his mother Georgia Wilson’s house in Panora, Iowa. The small house was built in 1900 and still stands today.

The current owner of the house asked if I knew whether anyone had died in the house. Well, not while Georgia Wilson lived there.

Lee Habeeb, founder and host of Our American Stories, graciously wrote the foreword for Leora’s Early Years. He asked how long I wanted it. I’ve not been a fan of long forewords, so suggested a page. Then I read the foreword to another book that took several pages, and I loved it. I quickly sent Lee a note, allowing him to make it as long as he liked! It’s a delightful introduction.

Robin Grunder shepherded this book through KDP publication with her own company, Legacy Press Books.

I am so delighted with this beautiful cover created by Nelly for Leora’s Early Years!

Eleven French Horns

School reorganization in rural Iowa was a difficult thing back in the 1950s. Earlham was a rival school of Dexter and, all of a sudden, we were told we’d be bussed to Earlham for the rest of our school days. For me, that was all of high school.

I went from a class of 13 eighth graders at Dexter, to a class of 30-some freshman at Earlham.

One of the best things about it, though, was we got Jack Oatts as band director. Earlham was his first job as a school band director, beginning in 1955.

I’d started out playing a trumpet and a clarinet with Dexter school instruments, but didn’t own one. Mr. Oatts worked at sorting out what kind of players he inherited from Dexter, and noting that so many of us could already read music. Since I didn’t own a horn, I played in the percussion section my freshman year.

When Mr. Oatts realized how many unused French horns he had in storage, he talked seven or eight of us into taking lessons on them. It was my instrument during the rest of high school. The school had one double French horn, which I played my senior year.

1961 concert band, 8 French horns at this point. Second row from the front: Judy Hibbs, Gloria Neal, Judy Percy, Judy Neal, Marilyn Lawson, Marilyn Smith, Joy Neal, Sherry Birk. This also gives you an idea of how teenagers dressed during the early 1960s. 

Mr. Oatts, a saxophonist, also wrote and arranged music. According to the 1962 Earlham Yearbook, the chamber band gave “the premier public performance of a new composition especially for the concert band entitled ‘Symphonic Sketch for Band’ by Jack Oatts. This number was a blend of old Roman, Oriental, and Asiatic harmonies are using along with African and Jazz rhythms.”

My senior year there were eleven French horns in a high school band of about sixty-five instruments. Mr. Oatts arranged “Dancing in the Dark” for the French horns and suggested we wear our homecoming dresses for the concert. Homecoming dresses were tame compared with today.

My senior homecoming dress and jacket

Gloria Neal is my sister. Judy Neal is my cousin. Marilyn Lawson, Jane Morford, Pat Willrich, Mary Nevitt were rural “Dexter girls.” Seven of us French horn players rode to Earlham school on the same bus.

The Earlham High School French horn choir earned “I” ratings at contest. Playing a piece our own band director arranged just for us was a delightful part of high school. Jack Oatts was an active member of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, Jack Oatts was recognized as the “Father of Iowa High School Jazz” and was named to the Iowa Jazz Educators Hall of Fame and the Des Moines Community Jazz Center Hall of Fame. More about Jack Oatts. 

The Horse Lawyer and Other Poems by Greg Seeley

The Horse Lawyer and Other Poems chronicles the struggles and triumphs of three generations of an Iowa farm family over a 125-year period. The “story” begins with a soldier coming home from the Civil War and setting foot for the first time on his newly-purchased farm and ends when the land next changes hands in the early 1990s. The book is the story of the family, their friends, and their neighbors as they try to adapt to the changing world around them. Their lives and personal aspirations are shaped by two world wars, a harsh climate, the dust bowl, and the Great Depression. They seek to meet this adversity and thrive through love, self-reliance, work, faith, and a strong sense of community.

A Couple of Reviews

Amaria, on Amazon: There is history here defined with heritage expressing hardworking times, the value of simpler times and cherishing those times, those things we today take for granted, the love of land and family despite hardship, building a home, growing crops. These poems read like letters intimate, invaluable and heartfelt. They spoke of comfort of home, life and family ties. They held longing and sacrifice, peace and resilience of a life once lived and a legacy carried on. There is also authenticity, honesty and a rawness and tranquility to these poems. Very well written work!

My thoughts: These are delightful and accessible vignettes. What a compelling way to preserve and share the soul of three generations of farm families, through the author’s fatherline in free verse. Not only that, but they lived on the same nook of Iowa soil over a span of 125 years. I’m encouraged to try something similar with my own motherline.

The Horse Lawyer and Other Poems is divided into the three generations and accompanied by winsome photos. I especially enjoyed the poems called “His Rocker,” “Fraternity of the Soil,” and the two about aging–“Two Shall Be As One” and “It’s Getting Gray.”

Greg Seeley

Greg Seeley was raised on a farm north of Afton, Iowa. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a major in history and received his Master’s Degree from the University of Iowa. Greg is a retired certified public accountant and lives in Overland Park, Kansas with his wife Carolyn, a retired math teacher.

Greg Seeley also wrote Tractor Bones and Rusted Trucks: Tales and Recollections of a Heartland Baby Boomer, which is a collection of poetry and short stories. He also written two Civil War stories.

Bonnie and Clyde Robbed the Stuart Bank on this Date, 1934

Nine months after their shootout in Dexfield Park, Bonnie and Clyde returned to the area and robbed the Stuart bank, just five miles to the west of Dexter, Iowa.

Photo by Jon Morgan

From the Stuart website: “On April 16, 1934, the First National Bank in Stuart fell victim to infamous outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. The bank lost about $1,500 (approximately $30,000 today). Bonnie & Clyde were chased out of Stuart by a local posse and killed in a police ambush in Louisiana approximately one month later. Although there were fortunately no fatalities in the Stuart robbery, the Barrow gang is believed to have murdered at least nine police officers and four civilians during their crime sprees. First National Bank in Stuart ceased operations in 1944, and the building now houses a hair salon. It is located at the intersection of North 2nd Street and Division Street in the heart of downtown Stuart. Historical markers have been erected at this popular tourist attraction.”

Today, an upstairs apartment of the bank building is being converted into an Airbnb, called the Bonnie & Clyde Hideout.

—–

There was an attempt to rob that same bank during the night of March 29/30, 1921, resulting in no money lost but the death of the Stuart night watchman, John Kerr Meyers.

My grandfather, Clabe Wilson, became part of Stuart’s history when he became their next nightwatchman. Here is the story of the robbery attempt, the loss of Mr. Meyers, and the new man the town hired.