Author Archives: colleenjmalone

I love nature. I just like everything about it. The trees and fields, the rivers and streams. All of the animals, bugs, butterflies. Farm animals. Pets. Clouds. How the breezes interact with the leaves—different sounds and experiences if the leaves are green or if they’re brown and crinkly! I love the ponds and lakes. HeronsContinue reading “God Is All Around Us”

A friend called me one day to catch up after we hadn’t talked in awhile. She’s known me a long time, and had grown used to my life being very full and hectic. At one point she asked, “So what ARE you doing? Nothing?” I gave a vague answer about doing stuff and taking lotsContinue reading “What Are You Doing Now? Nothing??”

My daughter, Colleen, has been working hard lately in her Dad’s old workshop attempting to bring some order. Everybody in three counties knew that Steve was a junk hoarder. Sanford and Son had nothing on him! He never threw anything away! He was absolutely offended if I discarded any of his valuable hoard. He wouldContinue reading “Finding Use With Throwaways”

There is a wonderful well in my memory. It was down an old brick pathway at my childhood home. I have never tasted such sweet water since. Sweet and intensely cold. It slaked many a thirst on a hot summer day! The water never failed, even in the hottest and driest summers. We never hadContinue reading “Of Wells and Living Water”

Today America’s foundations are giving way, and our nation will fall if we don’t recognize it. Our foundation is NOT our constitution. Heretofore it has been our God. Now He is closed out of public life and conversation and being forced into seclusion in our churches. The absolutes of God have been changed into “maybe”Continue reading “Being God’s People”

My dad was a story teller par excellence! His stories of his youth fascinated us all. He had a very dramatic presentation that left you on the edge of your seat! He liked to tell “bear” stories in the middle of winter when the wind whistled around the corners of the house. He peopled theContinue reading “The Storyteller”

My father was a deep-vein coal miner. He was born in 1913, and went into the mines with his father when he was just 13. Imagine. Now it would be classified as “child labor” and was then! We lived in western Indiana, a prime location for coal. The shafts went deep into the earth—1-1/2 toContinue reading “The Mule Skinner”

My family’s suggestion that I document some of the highlights of my life has been a blessing to me. As I recall the wondrous experience of life, of living. My great granddaughter, Mack, loves the story of how her beloved Dedo (her name for Steve) and her granny met. If you aren’t interested in oldContinue reading “A Love Story”

Summer Days on our little family farm were fun times, but also times of work and chores. There were animals to care for, gardens to tend, berry picking, canning and a weekly chore of laundry. These days, when I need to do a load of laundry, I go into my laundry area where my washingContinue reading “Summer Days”

We lived down a long lane in the country. In the mornings we left home early to catch the school bus. We couldn’t be late! Our school bus driver, Mr. Moody, had a second job which he went to after his bus route. He expected promptness. We all called him “Woody” which was a no-noContinue reading “School Days”