Wildwood Press

This is one of the many years I dressed up as a gypsy for Halloween! These costume pieces were from my Grandmother Amanda’s trunk: a green silky skirt dotted in gold, a black and white polka dotted blouse and a red headscarf. Oh my, what fun dressing up was! A chance to legally wear make-up, too! My friends and I wore our costumes to school, went Trick or Treating and then bobbed for apples at Jeannie Baker’s Halloween birthday party.

Tell me about your Halloween costumes! What did you wear?

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps to promote world peace and friendship. The Peace Corps’ mission has three simple goals:

Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

This is the year I dressed as a witch to go Trick or Treating. My grandmother had moved to California and promised to send me a kitten. In the mail, came this wonderful surprise: a cotton and straw-filled white cat by Steiff. Just in time for Halloween! I had quite a time lugging around the cat, the broom and my paper sack filled with treats!

What did you wear for Halloween?

For special events at school we dressed up to the hilt! A band concert was a reason to go shopping at Krom’s Department Store, Scott’s Smartwear or Irene’s Dress Shop for that new fancy dress. My favorite find was an iridescent blue-grey-pink full-skirted ankle-length dress. That dress went with me not only to a band concert, but also to a Christmas dance at the Youth Center in Iron River and even a Valentine’s Day ball in Chicago.

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History of the Jack O’Lantern: The Irish brought the tradition of the Jack O’Lantern to America. But, the original Jack O’Lanterns were not pumpkins. They were hollowed out turnips, rutabagas, gourds, potatoes and beets. Lights were placed in them to ward off evil spirits. When the Irish immigrants came to America in the 1800’s, they discovered that Pumpkins were bigger and easier to carve out. So they used pumpkins for Jack O’Lanterns. (For more on the Jack O’Lantern go to Pumpkinnook.com.)

My favorite teacher was my 10th grade English teacher, Miss Helen Dunham. She was also our Thespian Troup drama director.  She took us on trips, worked with us on forensic pieces and opened new worlds of stage and theater to us! She was more than a teacher; she was a friend!

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The new book, A Tree Grows in Trout Creek, (which has been in publication for the past six weeks) is finally in print! And it’s beautiful! Copies are here and ready for shipping. I’m getting them autographed and to the post office as fast as I can. So hang on…yours (if you ordered) will be on its ways shortly. I can’t wait to hear how you like the stories! Sweet memories!!!

If you haven’t had a chance to order yet, go to ORDER BOOKS on this website and send in your order (credit cards accepted)!

I promised myself I would not call Mary again, at least for a while. But, after a few days, I just had to know how Bonnie Lass was doing.

“Hi Mary,” I said into the phone. “How’s she doing?”

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Sunday was a gorgeous fall day and just perfect for an excursion into the country. Jim and I (& the three shelties) met Robin and Steve for a trip to a beautiful newly opened apple orchard. It didn’t start to rain until later in the day and, by that time, we were inside sipping hot cider and letting those warm frosted pumpkin donuts melt in our mouths!

Tired and sad the next day, I tried to keep busy, think of other things—anything but Bonnie Lass. But that was impossible. No matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept going back again and again to the little pooch that so recently pranced into—and out of—my life.

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