This is a War Machine

The USS Cavalla rests at Seawolf Park in Galveston, Texas. On June 19, 1944 she sank the Japanese carrier Shokaku, one of the warships responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Andrew and I climbed down the ladder into the sub, a giggling group of teenage girls behind us. The Cavalla, decommissioned in 1946, was … Continue reading This is a War Machine

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What Falls From the Sky Does Not Strike Me

The author — Photo by her patient husband, Andrew Our rented Buick rocked as the tractor trailers and rock haulers zipped past on the highway. I gripped the door handle, certain a homicidal maniac steered each truck rushing by, intent on racking up another victim on their way to the West Texas oil fields. We had selected the … Continue reading What Falls From the Sky Does Not Strike Me

Meet Me at the Vanishing Point

Another version of me has dirt under her fingernails Photo: Geri Lavrov/Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images PlusIf another me exists in another universe, I picture her clad in a red gingham dress or blue denim overalls. She toils on a farm surrounded by corn and cows. This is the life I might have lived, had I followed the … Continue reading Meet Me at the Vanishing Point

Whistle Britches

Andrew and I were wandering through the clearance section in men’s clothing at Macy’s when we spotted them. A row of corduroy pants in vivid orange and royal blue. “No one wants the whistle britches,” Andrew commented. “Do you think they have my size?” I asked. I love a bargain. “Please, no.” Andrew does not … Continue reading Whistle Britches

The Enchanted Rock and the Little Hill

Image by GeorgeB2 from Pixabay “We should visit Enchanted Rock,” Andrew suggested one evening, not long after we started dating. I pictured a place shrouded in a sparkling mist and peopled with tiny fairies peeking from behind evergreens. I worried whether the rock, enchanted or not, would provide shade. I’m a great fan of shade, especially … Continue reading The Enchanted Rock and the Little Hill

Lemur Island is a Lonely Island

But It’s a Lovely Place to Visit Photo by Amy Reed on Unsplash We arrived at the zoo in a car loaded with boxes of books and mismatched towels, two tennis rackets, and some stereo equipment. I’d been lured into the trip by Andrew, my boyfriend back then. I love the opportunity to view any animal … Continue reading Lemur Island is a Lonely Island

Love and Frozen Peas

Antique Shop Display — Photo by Terrye Turpin The truest test of whether someone will stick by you ‘in sickness and in health’ comes from the ordinary ills — the soggy discomfort of the common cold or the excess body fluids that accompany the flu. You’d have to be a complete troll to abandon the loved one who had cancer … Continue reading Love and Frozen Peas

Perspectives on Texas Towns

Antiques Shop Window Display in Downtown Wichita Falls, Texas Street Photography Challenge My husband and I love to travel on the weekends to visit the small towns near our home. Each place has a unique character that reminds me of the diversity within our state. Downtown Wichita Falls, Texas is experiencing a revival of sorts with … Continue reading Perspectives on Texas Towns