While substitute teaching in Crooked Creek, Alaska this past January, I couldn’t help but notice the weather. Mind you, Crooked Creek (known to locals simply as “Crooked”) is deep in the interior of Alaska, winding along the banks of the Kuskokwim River. So why was it 40 degrees. . .? The duplex I was staying […]
I meant to do that
While substitute teaching in Crooked Creek, Alaska, I sought and obtained permission to use the school’s four-wheeler. Riding a four-wheeler is to me a little bit like riding a pony: bumpy, sure-footed, and a tiny bit unpredictable. Not to mention the fresh air and the moderate exercise that staying on requires. One day after it […]
Interesting Times: Guest blog by Laura J. Graham
I have heard of an ancient blessing that says, “May you not live in interesting times”. I think this means may you come in every night and sit by the fire with the cat on your lap, and not have to worry about wars, or famine, or pestilence. However, I believe we live in very […]
A brief history of hats
One of my earliest memories is getting dressed up for church. My older sisters and I would always be decked out in my mother’s handmade and hand-embroidered dresses, and, of course, hats and gloves. When I was still young enough for my mother to dress me up for church, I wore little sunbonnets. Then there […]
The Nail
Chapter Seventeen in “Decades with the Squad,” by my late father, William Palmer Jervey, Jr. It could be argued that this episode was unusual in the extreme, even bizarre. The call came as “a lady with a nail through her hand.” One crew member was still at home which was near that of the patient. […]
Bush mail
While there is in fact a grocery store in Crooked Creek, Alaska, it is worth noting that a small bottle of cooking oil costs twelve dollars. This fact and others like it make it advisable for one who is going there to have some groceries flown in. Seems like it ought to be a pretty […]
The best laid plans of mice and me
One wonders—do mice make plans? Do they wake up and make a little mental list, including such items as gathering seeds, grooming their paws, and remembering to be grateful for peanut butter sandwiches? I’m sure I don’t know. But I do know that the other half of Mr. Burns’ famous duo, the human creature, certainly […]
Huffing the cat, and other healthful habits
Don’t knock it ‘til you’ve tried it. Gently pick up your favorite cat, bury your nose in its fur, and take a deep, deep breath. You’ll be glad you did. If tranquility had an odor, cat fur would embody it. A couple of caveats: make sure that it is a clean and healthy cat, and […]
Elvira revisited, 2024
My sister Laura and I talked the other day about church music. We agreed that we love the old quiet hymns, but we also appreciate the jauntier stuff that we can sing along with, and yes, even clap to. This innocent conversation led me, in very short order, to this bit of creativity run amok: […]
Return of the spider-bots
It is so very tempting to believe this lie. Jetpack, the little beastie that gloms on to my blog and gives me information about number of visitors and number of views in any given period, wants me to believe it. Jetpack says, with a straight face, that eighteen German citizens got up today, perhaps searched […]