Rich: The Hydrangea

About 16 years ago, a famous man dug up part of a famous plant in his world-renowned garden and gave it to me."Don't put it where it'll get the hot afternoon sun; plant it in the gentle sun," he explained. "If the leaves wilt, it's from lack of hydration.

Rich: An awakening

A significant awakening swept over me recently. When it happened, I was happily stunned at my observation.Daddy had a close first cousin named Gurley. Tink, a Yankee, had never heard of degrees of cousins until he came South. He did not know what a “first” cousin was or how you became third cousins.

Rich: The dreams of friends

On the bookcase at the top of the stairs is a framed photo of two young girls, barely out of college, both wearing the Victorian lace look of a retired brand called Gunne Sax.Our smiles are cheerful, our freckles peek out from under our makeup, and a shimmering light exists in our eyes.

Rich: The coffee

The little kitchen of my childhood home had coffee every morning.Always.Mama owned a decorative percolator from the 1950s, which bubbled delightfully. But she did not bother unless there was company visiting.The kettle on the stove whistled when the water boiled.

Rich: Bringing joy to others

As the length of my time has stretched into many years, I realize the exceeding importance of giving moments of kindness.Take for instance, my friend, Edward.Edward is kind and well-mannered. Every person who knows Edward gushes with love and stories of his thoughtfulness.

Rich: The magic of ‘The Waltons’

This story comes on good authority which assures us that this good story is true.One day, Tink and I were visiting his father, former television Executive Grant Tinker, when the conversation turned to Merv Adelson, a legend of iconic 1970s television shows.

Rich: Fair and unbiased (or biased) sports reporting

Count me in as one who still enjoys holding a good, local newspaper and absorbing almost every word.From the front page to the obituaries to the sports to the legals. I even read the entire jury list.High school football season had just begun, and I was reading the town’s sports page.

Rich: Rudeness and courtesy

Sometimes, I have decided, rudeness works.Sometimes, it’s even called for.I had to do a lot of thinking on this because I advocate kindness and courtesy.But if someone is being abused publicly, I can see the need for rudeness to spare the victim.

Rich: How prayer works

This is how prayer works: Tink and I were one hour into a seven-hour trip home from Memphis.I’d been on a book tour for two exhausting weeks and had a stomach bug, very rare for me. Our good friend and house sitter, Kathy Lanning, is alert and doesn’t miss a thing.

Rich: Tellers of songs — part four

This is how prayer works: Tink and I were one hour into a seven-hour trip home from Memphis.I’d been on a book tour for two exhausting weeks and had a stomach bug, very rare for me. Our good friend and house sitter, Kathy Lanning, is alert and doesn’t miss a thing.