Observations from my Backpack

Dancing on the Ceiling Tonight in chatting with a friend and colleague about our new sleeping habits, I described to her that I had been "Dancing on the ceiling."  She laughed, and we then discussed how we both had always been great sleepers and never, never had any trouble sleeping, or falling asleep.  So now she says: "I am asleep by 8 and up early, like before the sun comes up. So I have discovered a wonderful walking path by the DNR location that borders the inland waterways.  It's just beautiful and I watch the sun come up."   Made me wish I was there with her.  So now back to my dancing on the ceiling.  No, I am not counting sheep, but visually first counting the sprayed on paint, and then shutting my eyes and going back into my memory for some of my favorite places I have visited, and enjoyed. I love taking lots of photos, and whether it's on my phone, or by camera.   I have taken photos of windows, columns, front doors and even ceilin...

April 24, 2020 So how's it going?  Sheltering at home.  Wearing a bright yellow mask when I make that ONE trip out, and some days not.  Watching amazon prime movies. Cleaning out closets and going through and taking bags to the Goodwill and waiting to take the good stuff to the battered women's shelter.  Now, going through my beloved books and thousands of photos. Daily listening to: "Daily Devotion with each of the priests"  and then the Sunday service and finally one lesson I look forward to and love of my life:  CS Lewis Class with Father Brian McGreevy. I have started walking.  I cook at home.  I have I think probably lost some weight.  GO figure, and all good, sort of.  My cooking is ok, and I can measure my amounts, and how surprised I was to see that I had been eating way to much.  I found I love garlic salt, and artichoke sauce on anything and cranberry relish on dry chicken.  Thank you Publix! One of the many l...

 April 15 is Jackie Robinson Day - what about Larry Doby? April 15 is JACKIE ROBINSON DAY - as celebrated by the Major League Baseball. Robinson, the first African American ball player to break the "color line" in National League Baseball in 1947. Just ask anybody and they will recognize Robinson's name and know a fact about his life.  Often during Black History Month, students in schools will study his life as there are a wide assortment of books written. Shown here, our Backpack Journalists last year as we celebrated the opening day celebration to honor Larry Doby, who also broke the color line in 1947 for the American Baseball Leagues, as #2 African American player. Our local MiLb team - Charleston Riverdogs playing at the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Stadium host a Doby Deck, and at the end of the deck the above wall mural contains key accomplishments made by him during his Baseball career. Annually there is a celebration usually in June. We study Larry Do...

Today, Hank is 7, soon to be 8, at home with his Mom, Dad, and Ruthie and Celia.  All schools closed, as we all sheltered at  home to help send away the COVID19.   We can FaceTime, wave at each other from a distance.  There is the zoom also.  Schools held the last day on March 13, and the following week, all collected their tools, lessons and assignments and headed home for schooling, and to be "sheltered".   Now schools are closed until end of April, and I fully believe they will be closed further, until the hot summer arrives.  Our heat should help take the virus away. So counting the days: 28.  Easter, April 12 - makes it 29. St. Philips Church recently invited in the Rev. Canon J. John, from England to speak and share his ministry with us.  One evening he spoke about the practice of praying, caring and sharing:  Natural Evangelism. Most inspiring, and I learned so much, and  I signed up for his newsletter.  Today, ...

In thinking over what used to be a normal activity for me, something creative and fun, what can I do? With all the sheltering at home, I really needed to find "normal", and not just a cleaning chore. I choose an activity that I began to enjoy as far back as 1973.  Baking Sugar Cookies. I donated the recipe to the Central Methodist Church Cookbook, Spartanburg, SC.  Actually, I searched today other sugar cookie recipes on the Internet, thinking maybe there is one "better" and healthier?  I could not find it exactly as I used, and have used for years and I know this recipe tastes great, and rolls out well.  It's in the chilling, and use of flour as your cut the shape. More info with the recipe! First up during this Easter Season, making little sugar cookies.  Of course I had a lot of help and company before, with the grands (Ruthie, Celia and Hank).  Making Sugar Cookies was one our annual "fellowship" activities to do:  Nana and the grands. ...

April 1, 2020 In reading today, I learned that even google is doing away with jokes and pranks for April 1st - often referred to as April Fool's Day.  Life is to serious now with the Cronovirus traveling all over  the world and now our nation, and so close to home.  No jokes please they say.  Time to shelter in for thirty days.   Why the picture above?  That's me at 5 years old, with my younger brother at 3.  My father gave us this for our backyard to play in. He was a big guy and could not fit through the door, and that's about the only memory that I found as I ran across this picture today, sorting and still preparing to move. The other memory was of the day that same brother sitting next to me decided to build a camp fire inside.  No, did not burn down the dollhouse, but did leave a dark brown burn on the floor.   Daddy's birthday was on April 1, and he would have been 95 this year.  He would not have enjoyed this year...

Linda Hiers Dennis - Freshman Year - Columbia High School Writing Book For me, I have passed 14-days of sheltering and other than the yellow stuff that makes me sneeze, and my sinuses to stop up, all is well here.  Just really miss the kiddos (even though Hankie facetimes with me, and I have now learned how to use the Emojis). Plus the girls are also around chatting about.  I do miss the backpack journalists, and keep sending out email updates and sharing the VIMEO channel. The time has given me the chance to begin to prepare my move to a new apartment, and that said, go through my "stuff". It's been an interesting journey, and time consuming as I had to stop and look and read, and reminice.  Here goes: Pictured here is a page out of my high school "Writing Yearbook" that brought back alot of memories. We used typewriters back then.  I am seated at the top left, in front of a typewriter - editing.  Our team all working also.  And, the outcome was ...