What will you write about this time in your life?

As we write our life stories, what will you say about this crisis, this pandemic and how it affected your life, your family and your friends?

Today my neighbors across the street, Alice and Marsha called to tell me they had baked trout. "Would you like us to bring a trout to you, Glenda? Oh, and it has bones it in, but you have eaten fish with bones before, haven't you?"

Of course I have. We used to have fish fries on the farm in south Georgia. We caught the brim and bass in Major's Pond, a beautiful deep lime sink that stayed full. I don't remember the year my father began stocking the ponds. He stocked this pool of cool quiet water surrounded by trees with limbs hanging over the bank. Few people fished there. The fish grew and grew.

Major's Pond was my little heaven on earth. No human beings around, and only horses and cattle grazing on the tall grass a short distance from the pond. At first, Barry and I fished there on weekends and late in the afternoon after he came home from work. We trailerd our john boat over and settled in for several hours of fishing. Barry fished the shallow water for bass and I fished the deep water for brim. I loved my little rod and reel and, even after all the fishing gear was sold or given away years later, I could not bear to see that little fishing pole go.

The two of us often pulled the boat in after dark and drove home in the pickup with the bright moon shining our way across the fields. We usually had a nice catch that we froze until the day we and our friends could gather for a party. We cleaned and prepared the fish for frying. Our good friends, Mike and Sue, put on a fish fry that should have been written about in Southern Living magazine. 

Mike and his dear wife, Sue, who has passed away and is sadly missed.

Excellent hush puppies, grits and fish fried to perfection.
I don't think I have ever had any as good as the ones we ate sitting around the family pool on the farm. Having our good friends, several couples including Gay and Stu, my sister and her husband, made memorable moments that will stay with me always.
Those were some of the best times in my life.

Back to the present:
The large trout Marsha brought over was very good. I could easily fillet it and avoid bones. Eaten with a sweet potato, it made a great meal. 

Almost every day my neighbors bring over part of a meal they have just cooked. I have enjoyed celery soup, spaghetti bake, and other vegan treats. 

During all the heartache and sickness I see and hear about every day, I try not to feel guilty for enjoying my own life so much. And I wonder why I don't live this way all the time. No pressure, no responsibility for others, no appointments  -- just free time to do as I want. Heck, I am retired, live alone with my little dog, so why don't I live this way all the time?


Are you writing about your life these days?
Want to share?
Leave a comment.

Write for your family. Leave a written legacy.

At holiday time, we all look back on those times when we were young and had parents, grandparents and family that gathered around tables at someone's home. We remember the stories we heard, the faces of those who are gone now, the laughter that roared from the adult table as everyone remembered a favorite narrative and heard it again from a  brother or another dear family member.

We all have family stories. Some might be sad or bad, but we also have many stories of our family history that make us who we are. My father was a story teller. My uncles were also story tellers and my brothers told stories I'll remember all my days. 

Those of us who like to write have a responsibility, I think, to keep those stories alive. The days of several generations sitting on the porch or around a dinner table listening to family stories are fading away. Families are scattered all over the world. Grandparents get to see their grandchildren on Skype for a few minutes, but that  is a far cry from conversing face to face with plenty of time to share.

That is why I am passionate about writing those stories, leaving a written legacy for the future. Even though I have no children, I have always been the family historian and have documented many of the stories of my father's family in a  hard bound book: Profiles and Pedigrees, Thomas C. Council and  His Descendants.

I have also written a collection of short stories based on stories about my immediate family -- father, mother and my sisters and brothers. One day I hope to publish them for my family.

For over a week I have been listening to a memoir by Pat Conroy, the southern author of The Great Santini and Prince of Tides among other excellent books. He writes a detailed story of the life he has led with his abusive father, mother he adored, his siblings who all suffered from growing  up in the dysfunctional family. One of his brothers killed himself. A sister seemed to suffer from mental illness. Pat, himself, had several breakdowns and several marriages. All of this made for interesting reading, but those are not  the stories most of  us want to tell about our families. 

My students want to tell about how life was when they were kids. They want to tell about living without electricity, going to school in one room with all ages of students, the games they played when they were kids, their first car, their first date and many of those turning points they would tell their grandchildren if their grandchildren were available. They also want to tell about  where they went to school, their military lives, their work, the accomplishments and even their failures. I hope they will also tell the sad stories, the hard times that helped mold them, the loss of loved ones and beloved things. I hope they will  tell about the time they spent with grandparents, what they remember about those family members. 

One of my students told me he decided he should write about  his life when his little grandson said, "Grandpa, I know about your life. You had to  fight Indians and live in a  log cabin."

It is hard to entice young people to care about anyone or anything but themselves once they are in their teens. But those kids will grow up and one day they will be so happy to read about their family history. 

Here is a good post about writing family stories. 

In March, 2015, I will teach a class on writing life stories at Tri-County Community College. If you are local, check with the Community Enrichment department, Lisa Thompson, to register. 

A Good Site for Personal Essay Writers

From Maureen Ryan Griffin's newsletter, I found this site with a good post for those of us who write personal essays (memoir pieces).

Check out the publications recommended by Writer Abroad.

http://www.writerabroad.com/2010/11/paying-personal-essay-markets.html

Writing Classes in Hayesville, NC

 Writers Circle 
Schedule of classes for summer of 2010

We have an excellent schedule of writing classes on the calendar for this spring and summer. Register early as class space is limited.


Tuesday, April 6 - Who are You and Why Do You Write? exercises from Spinning Words Into Gold by Maureen Ryan Griffin.



Mary Michelle Keller - Wednesdays, -May 19, May 26, June 2 -

10: a.m. - 12:00 - $40 for the series -- mmkeller@brmemc.net

Writing your ancestors’ stories

There are stories waiting to be told. They are the stories of your ancestors. Michelle (Mary Mike) Keller will teach a class on how to find those stories and flesh out your ancestors to make them real people. Writing skills and an introduction to genealogy research will be covered.



William Reynolds -
Saturday June 12, 2010 - Self Publishing - $30 - All handouts furnished. .

Rosemary Royston -

Saturday June 19 - 10 - 1:00 p.m. - Space, Time and Tone: The Power of Humor in Contemporary Poetry. This class will examine how humor in poetry allows the poet to go into unexpected territories, allowing for both release and examination of sensitive issues.

$30.00 and all handouts are provided.



Glenda Beall -

Tuesday, June, 8 9:30 - 1:00 –  "I want to write but more than that I want to bring out all kinds of things that lie buried deep in my heart." Anne Frank

Handouts provided.


Estelle Rice

Wednesday, June 23 - 10 - 2:00 – Fact –in – Fiction

We will break for lunch – bring a sandwich – coffee and water provided

JULY AND AUGUST CLASSES – WRITERS CIRCLE –
Estelle Rice, instructor

Saturday, July 17 - 10:30 - 1:30 - Writing That Wells From Within

Glenda Beall -Tuesday, July 20 - 9:30 - 1:00 p.m. – The When and Where of Writing

Glenda Beall - Tuesday, August 24 - 9:30 - 1:00 p.m. - TBA










To learn more, contact me at gbeall500@gmail.com.
I will send you directions and answer any questions you might have. Call me at 828-389-4441.
I'll be happy to place your name on my mailing list for future schedule of classes.

CLASS REUNION

Five students from my class, fall 2008 at Tri-County Community College, gathered for a reunion and tea at the lovely home of Ash and Liz on a mountain in Warne, NC. It was a joy for me to see everyone and hear some of the stories they had written and some re-written since we were all together last fall.

Before we shared writing, we shared delicious homemade cakes and cookies, fruit and cheese, lovely teas and coffee set up in a room with a gorgeous view of the Tusquittee mountain range.

This is an example of the kind of bonding that comes from sharing our life stories in class. Ash is an octogenarian who has lived an incredible life already, but continues to thrive every day. He is excited about writing and sharing his stories.

The other students are four women who also have unique lives about which they continue to write. Ginny was born in the mountains of North Georgia but grew up and lived most of her life in the Detroit area.

Nadine is from the coal mining area of West Virginia, and is now a sophisticated interior designer. Sara lived her early life in a children's home. She has begun her autobiography and what we heard in class held us spellbound. Vicki hails from south Georgia, as I do, and we have many similar memories.

I feel blessed to have met these writers, and I am honored to be included in their reunions which they have decided to continue. Liz was a good sport and didn't throw us out even though we probably overstayed the time alloted for a "tea."

Thanks so much to Ash and Liz for a delightful afternoon and for bringing everyone together again.

Ray Hunter's Dim Trails

Passing down our stories to future generations is one of my passions. I enjoy hearing the stories of my students in my Writing About Your Life classes at Tri-County College or JCCFS, and I am pleased when I have some part in helping get these stories written down to help preserve the history of individuals who don't make the history books, but who have an impact on the world we live in.

Recently I was given a book ,Dim Trails , written by Ray Hunter who has earned his living from the age of six or seven by working on ranches in South Dakota.

He is 80 years old and has written a book of stories about his life and the lives of cowboys who lived the real cowboy way. His stories are written the way he talks, I'm sure, although I've never met him. I knew his brother --better than Ray did since they were both farmed out to different families when they were children because their widowed mother could not keep them.

I admire Ray Hunter for leaving this legacy to his family and to many others who will enjoy reading the true stories of cowboy life in the early twentieth century. I especially enjoyed his tale of someone from Hollywood who wanted to film an actual stampede. Although the cowboys tried to let him direct the stampede, the animals would not cooperate and the film maker ended up losing his camera and running for his life.

This link is to a newspaper article about Ray Hunter and his book.
http://www.tsln.com/article/2008565101030