Honoring the Past, Building a Future
Every July, the crape myrtles in my garden remind me why Southern gardens are so unforgettable. When the spring flowers have finished and the summer heat settles over North Carolina, the crape myrtles begin their performance. They bloom for weeks, filling my garden with clouds of pink that seem to float above their smooth, cinnamon-colored … Continue reading The End of July: Take Time to Enjoy the Garden With Me
"You will never get to the end of the journey if you stop to shy a stone at every dog that barks."— Winston Churchill, Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, December 3, 1923 I have gone and done it again, shying stones at barking dogs. I had set out to photograph the Newby-Duke House on the corner … Continue reading Bloody Hell
I read mysteries, and two of my favorite characters are Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and Donna Leon's Commissariat Guido Brunetti. Both men solve mysteries by paying attention to what others overlook, listening carefully, asking questions, and patiently following every clue. I consider both men close literary friends. Over the years, I have become … Continue reading The Case of the Missing Doors
I'm remembering the Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life. Little Zuzu Bailey tells her father, George, "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings." I've decided the genealogy world has its own version of bell ringing. When we begin searching for someone from the past, a little bell rings somewhere. This week I started … Continue reading Every Time a Bell Rings…
Preserved, Restored to its full glory. A water color AI photo I know very little about roofs, but I know 430 South Church Street needs one. A few years ago, insurance paid for a new roof on the Cottage for Two in Nashville. When the work was finished, the contractor told me I was good … Continue reading The Roof Comes First
Main Street Rocky Mount 