I do enjoy telling stories of my misspent youth, and one of my favorite topics is getting beaten up by blackberry brambles. These briars are no joke. Picking blackberries in the Virginia summer was a sweaty affair, made more so by the clothing we were obliged to wear: long sleeves and pants, hats and gloves, […]
Of pumpkins, potatoes, and peppermint chipmunks
It’s fall, and as such there are certainly obligatory culinary endeavors in which one must partake. Notice that I did not end the above sentence with a preposition. But I digress. Fall requires a lot of foods that start with “P.” In order of operations, we shall first consider pumpkins. It was a long, long […]
A Plinth for Medusa
Younger Son noticed that the little statue of Medusa, which he was going to paint and use in an Overly Complicated Board Game, had a muscular tail that hung down below her feet. “Hmmm,” said Elder Son. “How will she stand up?” “She needs a plinth,” I piped up. Usually, I remain stoically mute when […]
Repurposing: Guest blog by Laura J. Graham
When some people reach a certain age (a trait I have noticed in myself) they may begin to want to downsize their surroundings, to make life simpler. For some, it may mean a move to a retirement community, for others it may mean downsizing in place. Perhaps they will reduce the size of the yard, […]
The Bath
Chapter Sixteen in “Decades with the Squad,” by my late father, William Palmer Jervey, Jr. Vanity, vanity, all is vanity. The truth of this old saying was borne out in the episode of a simpleton literally racing the clock on his way from Powhatan to Richmond. An attractive young lady of Powhatan had the misfortune […]
The Finger
Chapter Fifteen in “Decades with the Squad,” by my late father, William Palmer Jervey, Jr. In this day of modern surgery, the reattachment of severed members has become quite commonplace. This being the case, much attention is given to retrieving the severed part and its proper care on the way to the hospital. In all […]
Worry wart
Third time’s a charm, or so I’ve always heard. In this case, “third time” applies to my decision to retire yet again from the field of education. And maybe knit a bunch or sweaters, or stare anxiously at my kids, or grow asparagus, and try not to lose my ever-lovin’, blue-eyed mind. And let us […]
Of happy hens and homemade bread
Have you ever water glassed an egg? My husband pioneered this process in our family, and it allows you to store eggs unrefrigerated for as long as two years. Here’s what you do. First, get some eggs fresh from the hens that have not been washed (the eggs, that is; it doesn’t matter if the […]
The Flood
Chapter Fourteen in “Decades with the Squad,” by my late father, William Palmer Jervey, Jr. Firemen frequently rescue cats from trees and dogs who have gotten their heads stuck somewhere. Rescue squads are not ordinarily involved with animal rescue. The major exception to this, in my experience, was when we rescued a herd of cattle. […]
Watermelons are idiots
If ever there was a plant to “take a notion,” as the old folks in my family used to say, it’s a watermelon. In exploring this issue, allow me to present two modest case studies: Exhibit A: During my most recent teaching gig, a third grader came back to class after lunch with a single […]