| Brooks Phillips Douglas had an autobiographical-history | | | | The countryside around where we live is absolutely |
| book “Cherish the Past” published in | | | | beautiful. I have watched out my window in the |
| 2002, has her second book of fiction “Winds | | | | morning to see the trees bare, gradually coming to |
| of Change” ready for the printer and has her | | | | life, and now they are practically in full grandeur. We |
| third book on the front burner. She also wrote a | | | | had a late frost a few weeks ago, and that stunted, |
| weekly personal essay column for 17 years.. Freda | | | | but didn’t kill, their beauty. |
| lives alone with her cat Jewely and loves to hear | | | | Linda has two bird feeders outside my window. One |
| from her readers. | | | | is for the bigger birds and one is for hummingbirds, |
| Well, I am in my fourth month as a resident of | | | | The hummingbirds are no larger than a large bumble |
| Alabama, settled here like I was born here. Maybe | | | | bee, but do they ever eat. |
| that is because the terrain hereabouts reminds me of | | | | Last week the feeder went empty so quickly Linda |
| my native Pennsylvania. In reality it is because my | | | | thought she might not have screwed the bottom of |
| adoptive family surrounds me with such love as I | | | | the feeder on tight enough. She checked it and finally |
| haven’t felt since my husband John died in | | | | decided the little birds had big appetites. |
| 2001. I know there have been a few people who | | | | Twice we have gone sightseeing after church. Jason |
| cared for me in the last six going on seven years, | | | | drives a truck and has found many spots to show us. |
| such as James who spoiled me something fierce and | | | | Jason is just like a homing pigeon. Once he’s |
| couldn’t ever seem to do enough for me, like | | | | been a place he can always find it again. He makes a |
| Gary, my medical careperson who never tried to pull | | | | great tour guide. |
| the wool over my eyes and who was always honest | | | | Properties are well maintained in our neck of the |
| with me or Bess, who always sent me postcards no | | | | woods, and most have lush green, manicured yards. |
| matter where Jim and she went and usually arrived | | | | Surprising to me, most of the homes are single level, |
| home before I ever received the cards. And there | | | | some one and a half stories, but very few taller than |
| was always Jewely, but she is a story unto herself. | | | | that. Of curse those with money very often have |
| But there is no greater feeling than having love | | | | what I call mansions which are breath-taking, but I |
| showered on you despite your faults, your age and | | | | wouldn’t feel comfortable in such opulence. |
| your eccentricities. | | | | |