Rich: Special occasions

I never knew my friend’s Aunt Elsie. Still, the valuable lesson she taught me will never be forgotten.Miss Elsie died a while back in her tiny Alabama town, having lived to be 81. Her grandest adventure happened over 30 years ago when she went to see a cousin in Memphis.

Rich: The South’s American queen

A reader from Minnesota recently wrote and, in her email, she mentioned that she lives near where the Mississippi River begins.There is no greater, more besotted fan of the Mississippi than I. Of course, I had questions.Where does it start?How deep and wide is it?

Rich: Dill and me

It was in the Springtime, some 20-odd years ago, that I was headed to the Georgia coast for a speaking engagement.My phone rang. This was in the glorious days before texting had rudely invaded our lives.The most beautiful, lilting voice replied to my “Hello?

Rich: Sharing Thanksgiving

At first blush, this might seem like a Christmas tale, but soon, you will see the joy of Thanksgiving in it.When I left home to work in a land far away, Mama said, “I’ll give you the same advice my Daddy gave me when I left the mountains: Forget not to assemble thyself in the house of the Lord.

Rich: Small room, big dreams

(Sitting in for Ronda is her primetime Emmy award-winning husband, John Tinker.)Whenever I’m at Ronda’s Mama’s house, I spend a little time in Ronda’s childhood bedroom, where she lived until after attending college, as a day student, while earning tuition money by working varied jobs.

Rich: How amazing it was

Even at the young age of 18, I watched it all in real time. And, though I was short on years and wisdom, I knew it was nothing short of amazing. There is a preface to this story. It isn’t fluff.It’s important to tell.

Rich: God bless our military

Our friend, Levi Bowman, is a scion of the multi-awarded Isaacs, who are famous for their blood harmony in their bluegrass gospel group. His mother is Becky Isaacs Bowman.The Isaacs are the ONLY gospel group to be members of the respected Grand Ole Opry.

Rich: The summer leaves

It’s the first two weeks of summer when the world is awhirl with different shades of green, blackberry winter has passed, and the days are warmed to perfection, which are particularly enchanting.

Rich: Tink’s perfection

Sometimes when my husband, John Tinker, finishes writing a television script, he will skip down the stairs to find me.It’s funny, but I can tell his mood or what kind of news he is going to deliver by the gait he uses as he tumbles down the stairs.

Rich: Simple contentment

One fair summer evening, in the gloaming of the day, Tink and I were down at Mama’s, sitting in the yard swing.Not a lot was being said. We were just enjoying the quietness and watching the lightning bugs as they prepared for their nightly entertainment.