Last fall, shortly after arriving in West Virginia, I was rummaging around in the top of the cellar house when my aunt called up to me to bring an old leather satchel down that was under the bed. When I got it to the house, she told me I was in for a treat. The satchel was filled with old letters written through a courtship. There were old keys, a little porcelain cup, a tiny plastic doll in a box, postcards, a pocket knife, a change purse. These were obviously someone’s treasures. I sat late into the night, reading old letters, tracing my fingers over the rim of the cup, wondering about those two people from so long ago. I wondered who they were, what were their dreams, did they live happily ever after?

Suddenly, an entire elaborate story popped in my head. I mean, full length Disney movie story and I could hardly wait to start writing it. Then one thing and another happened and the living situation changed at the farm so the story got put on the back burner…till yesterday. I knew there was a reason I made my dinette into a day bed. It’s a perfect little nest…a sunroom…where I can curl up and write to my heart’s content. And that’s what I did with my day yesterday. The children’s book is complete in my head…I just need to give birth to it. Writing is such a labor of love for me, be it here at “The Ranch” or off chasing the mystery of the old leather satchel. I am so grateful for the gifts of words.

❤

“My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.”

Psalm 45:1 NIV