Month: July 2003

  • Chewing gum

    Until recently, free trade agreement between the United States and Singapore, the island state off the coast of Malaysia, kept sticking on one product: Chewing gum. Singapore prides itself on its clean streets. And gum, no matter how you chew it, is messy. In 1992 Singapore officials decided enough already with the gummy messes around…

  • Fresh water spring near Freeman

    I lined up a stack of jugs and jars on the counter to fill with filtered water. Holding the first jug below the spigot, I passed the time reviewing images of my mother doing the same thing many years ago. At the time the log cabin Dad had built with chainsaw and hammer had everything,…

  • Mert and Sheila enter the family scene

    Right on schedule, my 28-year-old son announced his engagement to marry. Years ago he said he didn’t have time to get married until he was at least 28 – he had too many things to do. I say he is “getting married” in the continuing, on-going tense because while he and his bride took their…

  • Cool Creek

    Columbus could not have been more excited at the discovery of American than our 6-year-old granddaughter was during her discover at my daughter’s home in central Arkansas. Walking around the outside of the house that first day, the child spotted the nearby shallow creek strewn haphazardly with angular stones. She wanted everyone to “come see,…