Merry Christmas!

A 

CHRISTMAS THOUGHT

By Jim Sanders

It was just before Christmas 

And all through my mind 

Not an idea was stirring 

Not even a rhyme. 

I thought and I thought 

Lord what could I say 

That would brighten some spirit 

On this Christmas day. 

We hear about Santa, 

His reindeer and elves, 

Of giving and getting 

Great gifts for ourselves. 

See colored light stringers 

On houses and trees, 

While strains of "White Christmas" 

Float by on a breeze. 

Hear church choirs on sleigh rides 

Sing "Oh Holy Night" 

And "Joy To The World" 

As they fade out of sight. 

We hear and we see 

All these beautiful things, 

So what could I say 

That would make any change? 

There is only on word 

I can humbly recite 

And that word is "Jesus" 

My Savior, my Light. 

So if you would lighten 

Your path on the way 

Let Jesus shine forth for 

a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY. 

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

WINTER WEATHER 
By Don Perry 
God created winter just in case that eternity would be too brief. Winter is by far the longest of the four seasons, about a thousand days long by my reckoning. From December zo" to spring is an eternity in my book, wet and cold filled with slush and mud. Hunting season has by this time come and gone, leaving my reputation as the world's least productive hunter intact. Fishing season is but a mere dream of the new year and camping is now impossible, what with all the snow and mud.

As I stand and stare out the dinning room window, my wife tells me that I'm staring out the window again and I should get a hobby. I look over my shoulder and say "Staring out the window is my hobby. It's my winter hobby." This will undoubtedly be my second longest winter, overshadowed only by my seventeenth winter, when the world was nothing more than my bright oyster and my not knowing how to open it.

The weather turns grey, and I console myself with reading and staring out into the bleak twilight, as I watch the last leaves fall into the slush of last night's snow. Even the squirrel doesn't come to raid my bird feeders now. He's probably staring out his window on the world and thinking, "Too cold! Think I'll go into the hollow limb and grab a nut." Mrs. Squirrel probably tells him that he's staring out the knothole again.

CHRISTMAS MEMORIES
By Joanne Verbridge 

The excitement of Christmas was always contagious at my house. I grew up in a family of nine children, my mother, my dad, and his mother, my grandmother. There were twelve of us living in a tiny house. The cold weather outside always brought the spirit of Christmas. Anxiety could be felt with the approaching winter vacation and two weeks away from school. 

It was a time of excitement, as small packages started to appear under the tree. 

My mother drove a city bus for a company in Oakland, California. Her route would take her past a beautiful Christmas display. During our Christmas vacation, the family would load up in our expanded vehicle. I think then it was called a station wagon. My parents would take us to the city to share the animated scene. Before arriving to the city, we would take side streets to see the Christmas sights. The car was filled with so many, "Look at that one!" Then more, "ohh's and ahhs." Or once in a while, "I saw it first." 

After parking the car, we would walk to the prime piece of real estate that held the Christmas scene. The corner lot added so much dimension to the joyous scene inside. You could see things from different angles.

 

I will never forget the grandmother rocking in her chair, and with each stoke the cat lying by her chair would wag its tail. The chair would rock back and forth just barely miss its tail. Even though it wasn't real, I would watch waiting to see if the cat would misjudge her timing. Across the room, little children were playing, grandpa would be wiggling his eyebrows up and down, in amusement at all the things he saw. The mother was pulling the turkey out of the oven. Everything looked so real, that you were sure you could smell the turkey. It was a cozy setting, as we looked from the cold outdoors to the warmth presented inside. Every one should be able to experience the loving feeling that the animated family gave to the passersby. 

As for me, it's been many years since I have seen this, but I have to say I have never since any other scene that has compared to this one.  Thank you to that furniture store for giving so many people special memories of Christmas. 

Winter Time

By Mel Hutt

Our four seasons of the year end with the wintertime. My memories of the snowy Christmases and New Years are both good and not so good.

 

When our children were young we took them away from their Christmas celebration at home with their presents and haul them off to one of their Grandmothers homes for the dinner and afternoon. This we changed when our grandchildren came upon the scene. We went to their house and enjoyed them showing us their Christmas presents and enjoy a meal at their abode.

 

The winters of Central New York were real snowy and our kids had a great time in the snow banks and with their sleds. Their stays outdoors were interrupted when the cold hands were brought inside with the wet cloths to be dried and warmed. 

Our heating facilities at our house in Oneida were by an oil fired gravity fed furnace. One stormy day we ran out of fuel during a storm as our fuel delivery didn't make it to us and we ran out. Our good friend, who we appreciate to this day, made a trip to get a barrel full of oil for us and we rolled the barrel over the snow banks as our driveway was impassable from the deep snow. Needless to say, we changed our fuel sources.

 

Our winters in Virginia were quite different. Christmases were not so stormy as to prevent us from visiting our son and his family.

 

One time we did have such a severe snowstorm that all traffic stopped except me with my chained back wheels on my car I went where others could not. I missed three days of work, however, as the Norfolk area lacked the equipment to handle the deep snow on the streets.

Thanksgiving

By Don Perry
Let's get this straight right off the bat. I don't like turkey. After roasting a whole turkey, I am left with various parts that hang around in the refrigerator striving to get a new life by growing stale, losing moisture, and generally getting in the way. I say, "If it hasn't been eaten by Christmas, please, throw it out!" My wife and all the relatives we seem to accommodate each holiday season all love turkey, and I do love to cook for a crowd, but I do not like turkey.

I love the Thanksgiving company and the camaraderie. We sit around and watch football, trying to digest all the things that go along with the Thanksgiving meal, and relaxing in our overstuffed misery. Just as we are about to recover, pecan pie with ice cream shows up to plunge us back into an overstuffed state and usually a case of midnight despair.

Now venison, there's the meat to serve, at least in my book. I remember a Thanksgiving back in 1976 that we had a giant venison roast from the deer I had taken the previous week, a whole ham of that big old doe. We took it up to my sister-in-law's farm, just outside of Dustin, Oklahoma, just the day before thanksgiving. The girls cooked that roast in a cooking bag with potatoes, whole onions, carrots, celery, and apples. It was truly one of the best meals of my life and a great Thanksgiving, with no thanks to turkey.

Oh, and by the way, did I mention I don't like turkey?

*********************

By Mel Hutt

Thanksgiving is depicted as a festive day and created early in our American heritage. Drawings of the early settlers show the Pilgrims in their religious garb feasting as the result of help of the Indians of the area and their food sharing in the fall. 

The real meaning of the word Thanksgiving is 'Thanks and Giving' and is great reasons for being together as a family and friends.

Dorothy and I enjoyed the get-togethers of two families most of our married life. Our children learned the meaning of family in their early years as we spent one Thanksgiving with one family and the next year with the other family.

Large, home cooked meals with special desserts were the center of the day. The men stayed out of the way with either visiting or card playing while the meal was prepared by the ladies in charge. Children were entertained by the teens of the families and learned the table manners at an early age. 

Memories of this particular holiday enriched our family relationships and enlarged the scope of our lives. As we live out our senior years the history of our families comfort us and lighten our pains and ailments. The troubles of the world are missing the togetherness of families large and small. Happiness is near, but must be asked for by sharing our lives with kindness and love. 

God bless us all!

I Am

By Don Perry 
I am. I know the thing that I am, here buried deep inside. Dark and hostile, he keeps me tucked away, not letting me loose for fear of the things I might do. He keeps me in check even when he knows I could be that thing that is needed to make the difference. He is so afraid of me, of the horror and violence of that other time I was left unbridled and of the things he must live with for the rest of his life.

He likes to be in control, and they said he was a hero, a job well done. I know different. That was the last time, when I broke free, Free! Free! Free to lash out, to kill, to maim, free to burn, destroy and kill without remorse. Without pity. The only time I can break out of my little place now is in his dreams. Oh, the times I can have in those. The thrill of his hand tightening on her soft throat, as the life seeps out and her body goes limp. Only then am I satisfied and I go quietly back to my little place. Only after he wakes can he put me back in there. He wakes in a cold sweat, wondering if he woke his wife or worse yet, is she still alive. Was it just a dream? She tells him that he speaks Vietnamese in his sleep, even after all these years. He dreams of the hunt in the jungle, of the fear, of the fight and the sounds of gunfire. Heart racing and sweaty, he wakes and thinks of what he has done. But I want it! And I am strong! Bring it to me!

Halloween

By Tim Wilson
Halloween has always been a favorite time for kids to go trick or treating. As a young child about five or six, I think back to a time when every thing was big and scary while attempting to fill our bags with candy on the one night of the year we were allowed to ask total strangers for candy and treats.

The thought of monsters, witches, and goblins at the next stop was always on our mind as a small child while you rounded the next comer anticipating what could wait for you in the shadows of a dark blackened night. This was mainly due to TV movies of witches and monsters shown around Halloween time, which we kids just had to see no matter how many nightmares we knew would follow after watching these scary movies.

This is also the time of year when deer are in rut, traveling sometimes many miles in search of a doe to mate with, or does running from the bucks that are after them while crossing many highways and roads. This is when many motorists find out just how dangerous hitting a large animal at high speeds is, and how much damage it can do to your vehicle.

It was estimated that in the year 2012 deer caused One Billion Dollars worth of damage, which was paid by insurance companies in different types of claims in every thing you can think of from vehicle accidents, crops being ruined or destroyed, to hospital stays from wrecks while trying to avoid this allusive animal of natures beauty.

Be ready to avoid becoming one these involved. Drive safely, and above all, stay alert to the flash of this animal's ability to just appear right in front of you without any kind of warning, especially at night!

Ada Writers look at Fall

By Tim Wilson
Fall is the most colorful time of the year in Oklahoma as the lush green countryside gives way to the coming winter. The surroundings foliage turns different colors of brilliance. Time passes quickly during this time of the year. Our days become much shorter of needed life-giving sunlight, We see the leaves on the trees dying and start to fall right before our eyes each year, but we sometimes miss this great beauty that has been bestowed upon us due to society's demands to survive. Today's economy takes most people working at two jobs just to live in comfort and safety in today's upside-down society as we strive for acceptance to achievements in reaching needed goals. These are demands required of us as we are programmed shortly after birth.

It's like a heavy early morning fog with mist so thick you can't hardly see the path or pavement to safely drive on. Surviving in today's world of utter chaos, you must brave the dangers in the concealing fog, no matter the costs of what awaits or lurks in the gloom. Your goal may be just simply to make it safely each day, or to be able to provide more for yourself and your family to survive! As this mist of the fog thickens, it sometimes almost mesmerizes us into a frozen stare, such as seen on a robot's face. Just like setting at a bonfire very still and quiet as the fluttering rising flames seem to hypnotize or freeze our complex brain from its way of thinking, frozen in time for that brief moment.

The hope is in people of good! This goodness is like when the sun shines bright and dissipates a thick fog by evaporating moisture in the air that has basically blocked our vision of the safe path, revealing any dangers that wait in the fog, showing the truthful clarity within the deception. Once the fog has evaporated and dissipated away, the pathway becomes clear as a freshly painted picture. When we look away from the glowing flames of a bonfire, we become un-hypnotized and return to a normal state of thinking, and again become aware of our soundings. To survive in today's society we must see through the fogs of concealment, the dangers that lurk in the fires, and not become hypnotized to the deceptions and concealments happening around us.

By Don Perry
I prefer the word autumn as to the word fall. Fall means a descent from a higher plane, of which autumn is not a descent, but a change. By this time in Summer, I am ready for change. The tomatoes are burning up as are the squash, purple cabbage, and turnips. Bugs are helping their demise, I suppose. The grasshoppers are growing fat and constantly evade my yellow lab as she stalks them in the unmown grass. Which reminds me that I must mow tomorrow in spite of the heat, in spite of the summer cold I've fought for the last week. Autumn will bring a respite from the heat and an easier time. Fishing and hunting trips are still an option with the advent of autumn. Not too hot and yet not quite cool. The autumn leaves will soon turn the land into a brilliant splash of variegated color in advance of the winter's drab starkness. And I, well, I shall abide.

By Mel Hutt
Fall is on the doorstep. I have great memories of fall in the central and northern New York. The colors of the leaf changes are very beautiful and seem like magic. The Adirondack mountains are a painter's dream. The multiple colors are very sharp and varied. We have traveled in many many states in the fall of the year and have not seen any better or brighter that central New York during this period of the year. Having lived there most of my life, I fmd I miss this time of the year that I experienced there.

Rain

By Don Perry
Well, we got some, rain that is. Hope you got a little too. Came back from town and the roads were all wet, the ground soaked real nice. I'll have to mow tomorrow.

Weatherman tells me, we've got more than last year, but it still hasn't helped my garden much. I still am fighting to keep my eggplant and tomatoes from going into heat shock. Bugs will probably get 'em anyway.

Went fishing the other day and wouldn't you know it, got rained on. Maybe that's the way to get more rain, just go fishing, get the old pontoon boat out there and let 'er pour. Who knows? Might have something there.

Well, gotta go fight the dragon. Been nice talkin with ya.

Ada Writers Fall Book Festival slated for Tuesday

ADA – Ada Writers Fall Book Festival will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, 4:30-6:30 p.m. hosted by Karen’s Art and Farming, 108 East Main. The festival will feature “Creations 2013: 40 Ways to Look at Love,” the newest anthology by Ada Writers, and books by local authors and by award winning children’s book author Laura Eckroat.

“We will be offering books that are mysteries, romances, biographies, inspirational, humor, and more,” said Stephen B. Bagley, Ada Writers president. “And of course, the new anthology features short stories, poems, memoirs, and more by members of Ada Writers, including Kelley Benson, Eric Collier, Lindiwe Hall, Mel Hutt, Ken Lewis, Rick Litchfield, Don Perry, Martha Rhynes, Joanne Verbridge, Tim Wilson, Gail Wood, and Tom Yarbrough.”

A small quantity of signed children’s books by Laura Eckroat will be available at the Festival. Eckroat's book “Went Out To Get a Donut - Came Home With a Muffin” was featured in Fort Worth, Texas Magazine and won the Texas Association of Authors First Place Award for Best 7 and Under Children's Book. Her latest book, “What’s In The Corner? ... A Muffin ‘Tail,’” was released this summer. Learn more about Eckroat and her books at LauraEckroat.blogspot.com.

“We will have readings, signed books, refreshments, and good conversations about books,” said Bagley. “We invite everyone to attend.” For more information about Ada Writers, visit AdaWriters.blogspot.com.

“Creations 2013: 40 Ways to Look at Love” is dedicated to the late Arlene “Aren” Rose Howell, who was a cherished longtime member and officer of Ada Writers.

The anthology features works from the following Ada and area authors:

Stephen B. Bagley wrote “Murder by Dewey Decimal,” “Murder by the Acre,” and the forthcoming “Murder by the Mile,” all in the Measurements of Murder™ series. His other books include “Tales from Bethlehem,” “Floozy and Other Stories,” and “EndlesS.” He also wrote the full-length plays “Murder at the Witch’s Cottage” and “Two Writers in the Hands of an Angry God” and co-wrote “Turnabout.” He coauthored two one-act plays published by Dramatic Publishing Company. His poetry has appeared in “Creations 2012,” ByLine Magazine, Prairie Songs, Free Star, and other journals, and his articles in Nautilus, OKMagazine, Pontotoc County Chronicles, and other publications. Visit his website at StephenBBagley.blogspot.com.

Kelley Benson wrote “On Target: Devotions for Modern Life.” He is a Christian and small town minister who has a passion for using everyday opportunities to help people recognize how God works in their lives. He is the husband of his beautiful wife, Jade. They are being intentional about raising their three young children to see how God should be part of everything people do. He’s been involved in the ministry since 1997. A close Christian mentor inspired Kelley to practice “vocational preaching,” simply put: to work and preach. This allows him the opportunity to be involved in the lives of other people in a personal way through secular work while demonstrating leadership in a local church. Visit his website at KelleyBenson.blogspot.com.

Eric Collier is a father of two and grandfather of six. He started writing poetry for a poetry class hosted by Continuing Education at East Central University. He lives in Ada and works as physical therapist for a local hospital. He enjoys camping, hiking, bird watching, and growing vegetables and flowers.

Lindiwe Hall is a published author of books and eBooks. She enjoys all kinds of writing. She is a graduate of the College of New Rochelle, New York. She has written autobiographical fiction, writes children’s books, and is in the process of proofing and writing an album for her mission called Rose of Sharon. Also, she is very proud of her late father, who was Ambassador to the United Nations from Swaziland for 18 years.

Mel Hutt and his wife have been married for more than sixty years and have three children, eight grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. When his father died in 1945, he entered the Navy and served more than three years in the Pacific, including Operation Crossroads of the atomic bomb experiments at Bikini. He was then assigned to a destroyer and traveled to places like Australia, China, and Japan, with Hawaii as the stop to and from those places. He shares his memories in memoirs.

Ken Lewis has written several articles and short stories of different genres. His interests lie mostly in the paranormal and science fiction genres, but he enjoys exploring other avenues of the art. He’s a graduate of the Longridge Writer’s Group. He’s a firm believer in “Life is learning.” He currently serves as vice-president and treasurer of Ada Writers.

Rick Litchfield’s poetry appears in “A Surrender to the Moon,” “The International Who’s Who in Poetry,” “Timeless Voices,” “The Best Poems and Poets of 2007” and “Creations 2012.” He is working on “Shards of Wit and Wisdom: Stories and Stained Glass.”

Don Perry grew up outside of Crockett, Texas, and later moved to Fort Worth. After many years in the aviation field, he retired and moved to a small farm outside of Ada, Oklahoma. Don married Barbara Burleson in 1965, has two children, Melissa and James, and three grandsons. Since his retirement, he writes short stories of life and times during his youth, geared toward the young adult and teen-aged audiences. Many of his short stories show the humorous and whimsical side of the 1950s life and are often autobiographical in nature. He is currently writing a novel in the fantasy genre.

Martha Rhynes, a retired teacher, began her writing career by re-searching the lives of American authors and writing biographies and analyses of their work for inclusion in literary encyclopedias. Her book-length biographies include, “I, Too, Sing America, The Story of Langston Hughes,” “Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet from Chicago,” “Ralph Ellison: Author of Invisible Man,” “Jack London: Writer of Adventure,” and “Ray Bradbury: Teller of Tales.” Her works of fiction include numerous short stories and three novels: “Secret of the Pack Rat’s Nest,” “The War Bride,” and “Man on First.” Her non-fiction includes an eBook for young adults: “How to Write Scary Stories.” Visit her website at MarthaERhynes.blogspot.com.

Joanne Verbridge was born in Oakland, California, spending her life experiences in Northern California. Family brought her to Oklahoma where she enjoys taking time to write about those experiences. She is trying to inspire her young nieces to take an interest in story telling and writing. She currently serves as the secretary and historian for Ada Writers.

Tim Wilson is a steadfast believer in truth, justice, and the American way of life, and writes to make a difference by helping others with his hard-earned knowledge and life experiences so others may not suffer the same tragic consequences. He is currently writing a nonfiction book, “Yet to be Disclosed,” which is based on facts that explain “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about the issues of modern society.”

Gail Wood has written all her life. “It is as natural to me as breathing. I love the written word, all the nuances, the connotations, the music. I am retired from the perverted world of grants, reports, and strategic plans—the bureaucratic graveyard for words. Besides writing, I have a passion for walking. I love the outdoors and all things natural. The best part of my life is now.” Her book, “Red Bird Woman,” will be released later this year by Many Rivers Harbor.

Tom Yarbrough is the author of four books, three nonfiction and one fiction. He is currently editing two works accepted by a publisher. After a long career in counseling and education, he now spends his time with full-time writing, family concerns, and hobbies like Rendezvous (an 1840 living history camp) and making bookmarks called Shepherd Staffs.

Library hosts book signing for "Creations 2013: 40 Ways to Look at Love"

ADA – Ada Public Library will host a book signing for “Creations 2013: 40 Ways to Look at Love,” the newest anthology from Ada Writers, 4-6 p.m., Thursday, August 22. The book will be available for purchase at the book signing for $12

The back cover explains the theme of the book: “For some, passion and joy. For others, torment and regret. Ada Writers looks at love in its many forms with articles, essays, memoirs, poems, short stories, and excerpts from books and novels-in-progress in this new anthology.”

The anthology is dedicated to the late Arlene “Aren” Rose Howell, who was a cherished longtime member and officer of Ada Writers.

This year’s anthology features works from the following Ada and area authors:

Stephen B. Bagley wrote “Murder by Dewey Decimal,” “Murder by the Acre,” and the forthcoming “Murder by the Mile,” all in the Measurements of Murder™ series. His other books include “Tales from Bethlehem,” “Floozy and Other Stories,” and “EndlesS.” He also wrote the full-length plays “Murder at the Witch’s Cottage” and “Two Writers in the Hands of an Angry God” and co-wrote “Turnabout.” He coauthored two one-act plays published by Dramatic Publishing Company. His poetry has appeared in “Creations 2012,” ByLine Magazine, Prairie Songs, Free Star, and other journals, and his articles in Nautilus, OKMagazine, Pontotoc County Chronicles, and other publications. He currently serves as president of Ada Writers. Visit his website at StephenBBagley.blogspot.com.

Kelley Benson wrote “On Target: Devotions for Modern Life.” He is a Christian and small town minister who has a passion for using everyday opportunities to help people recognize how God works in their lives. He is the husband of his beautiful wife, Jade. They are being intentional about raising their three young children to see how God should be part of everything people do. He’s been involved in the ministry since 1997. A close Christian mentor inspired Kelley to practice “vocational preaching,” simply put: to work and preach. This allows him the opportunity to be involved in the lives of other people in a personal way through secular work while demonstrating leadership in a local church. Visit his website at KelleyBenson.blogspot.com.

Eric Collier is a father of two and grandfather of six. He started writing poetry for a poetry class hosted by Continuing Education at East Central University. He lives in Ada and works as physical therapist for a local hospital. He enjoys camping, hiking, bird watching, and growing vegetables and flowers.

Lindiwe Hall is a published author of books and eBooks. She enjoys all kinds of writing. She is a graduate of the College of New Rochelle, New York. She has written autobiographical fiction, writes children’s books, and is in the process of proofing and writing an album for her mission called Rose of Sharon. Also, she is very proud of her late father, who was Ambassador to the United Nations from Swaziland for 18 years.

Mel Hutt and his wife have been married for more than sixty years and have three children, eight grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. When his father died in 1945, he entered the Navy and served more than three years in the Pacific, including Operation Crossroads of the atomic bomb experiments at Bikini. He was then assigned to a destroyer and traveled to places like Australia, China, and Japan, with Hawaii as the stop to and from those places. He shares his memories in memoirs.

Ken Lewis has written several articles and short stories of different genres. His interests lie mostly in the paranormal and science fiction genres, but he enjoys exploring other avenues of the art. He’s a graduate of the Longridge Writer’s Group. He’s a firm believer in “Life is learning.” He currently serves as vice-president and treasurer of Ada Writers.

Rick Litchfield’s poetry appears in “A Surrender to the Moon,” “The International Who’s Who in Poetry,” “Timeless Voices,” “The Best Poems and Poets of 2007” and “Creations 2012.” He is working on “Shards of Wit and Wisdom: Stories and Stained Glass.”

Don Perry grew up outside of Crockett, Texas, and later moved to Fort Worth. After many years in the aviation field, he retired and moved to a small farm outside of Ada, Oklahoma. Don married Barbara Burleson in 1965, has two children, Melissa and James, and three grandsons. Since his retirement, he writes short stories of life and times during his youth, geared toward the young adult and teen-aged audiences. Many of his short stories show the humorous and whimsical side of the 1950s life and are often autobiographical in nature. He is currently writing a novel in the fantasy genre.

Martha Rhynes, a retired teacher, began her writing career by re-searching the lives of American authors and writing biographies and analyses of their work for inclusion in literary encyclopedias. Her book-length biographies include, “I, Too, Sing America, The Story of Langston Hughes,” “Gwendolyn Brooks, Poet from Chicago,” “Ralph Ellison: Author of Invisible Man,” “Jack London: Writer of Adventure,” and “Ray Bradbury: Teller of Tales.” Her works of fiction include numerous short stories and three novels: “Secret of the Pack Rat’s Nest,” “The War Bride,” and “Man on First.” Her non-fiction includes an eBook for young adults: “How to Write Scary Stories.” Visit her website at MarthaERhynes.blogspot.com.

Joanne Verbridge was born in Oakland, California, spending her life experiences in Northern California. Family brought her to Oklahoma where she enjoys taking time to write about those experiences. She is trying to inspire her young nieces to take an interest in story telling and writing. She currently serves as the secretary and historian for Ada Writers.

Tim Wilson is a steadfast believer in truth, justice, and the American way of life, and writes to make a difference by helping others with his hard-earned knowledge and life experiences so others may not suffer the same tragic consequences. He is currently writing a non-fiction book, “Yet to be Disclosed,” which is based on facts that explain “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about the issues of modern society.”

Gail Wood has written all her life. “It is as natural to me as breathing. I love the written word, all the nuances, the connotations, the music. I am retired from the perverted world of grants, reports, and strategic plans—the bureaucratic graveyard for words. Besides writing, I have a passion for walking. I love the outdoors and all things natural. The best part of my life is now.” Her forthcoming book, “Red Bird Woman,” will be released later this year by Many Rivers Harbor.

Tom Yarbrough is the author of four books, three non-fiction and one fiction. He is currently editing two works accepted by a publisher. After a long career in counseling and education, he now spends his time with full time writing, family concerns, and hobbies like Rendezvous (an 1840 living history camp) and making bookmarks called Shepherd Staffs.

Heat

By Mel Hutt

Heat in Oklahoma is a known feature which reminds me of the south Pacific where I served with the Navy in the late forties.

My first adventure was on a ship that was assigned to be part of "Operation Crossroads" which was a testing of two atomic bombs in different positions. The evidence was how a submarine that was anchored off our stem after the first above ground explosion occurred. The conning tower was melted off center and very contaminated. The heat that created that damage was obvious as we watched the explosion from several miles away. The second bomb, located in the water, was just as scary and showed us the damage that could happen in a very short time and create a heat that melted steel that normally could stand the impact of cannon fire and other types of enemy fire.

I learned that peace was a worthy goal and hoped we could foresee peaceful cooperation among nations in the future. Unfortunately, this has not prevailed even with the damage and deaths that occurred at Hiroshima.

I, and all of us, should be thankful that those large explosives are neutralized in the following wars.

Too bad that the world still has ill will against their neighbor and still does death and destruction.
_____________________

By Tim Wilson

There are several types of heat we encounter as humans during our lifetimes here on earth. There are also other types of heat we don't even think about until they are activated sometimes by ourselves or by others.

The most common type of intense heat that is very dangerous is caused from a fire. This takes three key main elements to produce. This is accomplished by a mix of oxygen, fuel of some sort (such as wood, grass, plastics, clothing, etc.). However, without a spark or some sort of ignition, the heat cannot and will not exist to start a fire that produces the heat we feel when we are standing to close.

Heat is also created by the sun, which we would surely freeze and starve without, or possibly burn up if the sun were to close to the earth. This vital heat helps our world here to warm our bodies during cold winter days to build great achievements that are built outside our own personal living quarters, such as very tall buildings, or complete cities. Heat help our crops to grow during the growing seasons, and maintains a sort of balance to the earth’s atmosphere so that most things living here on earth thrive.

The heat that is not talked about by many and is shunned by most people or humans is a very different type of heat. Have you ever heard the statement: "That Makes My Blood Boil"? There are actual documentations of people spontaneously catching fire! Another type of inner body heat that is similar to this is stressed heat. Think of the last time someone did something to really hurt you or your family. Just by their words such as a lie about you, or took your property, stole life possessions of yours or kin. Directed bad words at your person just to degrade and discredit you! Do you remember how hot your body temperature rose very quickly, as if you are running a very high fever where you began to sweat profusely? This same type of body heat is how Americans won this nation’s first independence against persecution, corruption, deception, and sent the perpetrators back to where they came from as this country became a nation.

Heat is a very complex word in its different meanings. When you use the words Heat and Love together, it takes on a whole new meaning, but that's a much different heat to be discussed another day.

Looking upward

Things in the Sky

By Don Perry

I am a retired aircraft mechanic and as such I have a little different take on things in the sky. When people here in Ada see a shadow pass before them on the ground, they automatically think "hawk or buzzard." When I see a shadow race across the ground, I think airplane and listen for a healthy engine sound. A trained ear can tell.

At night I see the stars and automatically seek out Polaris, the North Star. Some would say that the thing racing from west to east in the night sky is an UFO, but I know that it is probably a satellite or, perhaps, some space debris that is losing the fight with gravity. I have seen some wonderful sights in the night sky. The Milky Way, viewed from a high bluff in the hill country of Texas, was a spectacular sight I will always remember.

The crash on re-entry of the Space shuttle Columbia was a horror that I also witnessed. Both great and small sights can be seen in the sky, but my time here grows short and I continue to watch. Always, I watch the sky.

The Red Planet: A Pomegranate Explosion 

By Martha Rhynes 

In the 1940s, Ray Bradbury became a prolific writer of fantasy and horror stories, usually published as "pulp" fiction. A few of his short stories ("The Man Upstairs" and "Homecoming") appeared in elite magazines. In searching for new ideas for stories, Ray often wrote prose poems (descriptive paragraphs) about life on Mars. Since boyhood, he had been fascinated by Edgar Rice Burrough's famous character, Buck Rogers, and space voyages.

In 1950, a publisher who recognized Bradbury's talent offered him a contract to combine space-story fragments into a novel, The Martian Chronicles. The task seemed insurmountable to Ray until he remembered Sherwood Anderson's episodic novel, Winesburg, Ohio, and John Steinbeck's use of prose poems as "bridges" between chapters in The Grapes of Wrath. "The Red Planet became a pomegranate explosion," said Bradbury, and he completed The Martian Chronicles in three months. The publisher marketed The Martian Chronicles as science fiction, a
popular genre.

Ray imagined (romanticized) a beautiful setting on the "Red Planet" with canals and a life-supporting atmosphere, a mythical place. Humans in space ships migrate there to escape real social and political problems of the 1950s: civil rights, atomic war, misuse of technology, communism, and environmental pollution. Unfortunately, the migrants bring these same conflicts with them to Mars.

Science fiction writers Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke admired Bradbury's imaginative short stories, but they found only a tenuous connection with science and technology in The Martian Chronicles. Clarke did concede, however, that Bradbury "expanded the minds of millions of readers who didn't realize there was more to the universe than one small planet orbiting a second-rate star."

Actually, only one "Chronicle" might be classified as science fiction, "There Will Come Soft Rains." It is the story of a robot-controlled house that self-destructs. Bradbury did not wish to be placed in the sci-fi category because it excluded him from a wider, mainstream market. However, his publishers insisted. Later, he accepted many awards as a science fiction author.

Bradbury met astronauts and scientists at NASA who had read The Martian Chronicles and were inspired by it. He also wrote a script for Walt Disney's Space Exhibit: EPCOT Center in 1976. It describes Earth's voyage through space and time. He wrote magazine articles, stage plays, screenplays, television scripts, poetry, ten novels, forty short story and poetry anthologies, and five non-fiction books.

Before he died on June 5, 2012, this "Voice of the Space Age" and "Poet of the Pulps" asked that the following epitaph be carved on his tombstone: "Here's a teller of tales who wrote about everything with a great sense of expectancy and joy, who wanted to celebrate things ... even the dark things because they have meaning ... just the joy of being alive for another day, and being able to celebrate a particular sense of that day that you didn't celebrate the day before."

Flying

By Mel  Hutt

“Flying like a bird” is a term often used when a novice starts to aspire to being a pilot. As a teen, I had a job in a factory paying the big amount of fifty-two and one/half cents an hour. It was, however, sufficient for me to hitchhike to the airport and be able to pay for a lesson.

The experience was great. My first flight was in a Piper cub with a powerful sixty-five horsepower engine. The instructor gave me a ride and mad a couple of maneuvers to see if I could take it. I loved it. Later, when I had to practice stalls and spins, the thrills became testier. Later, these maneuvers were taken from the course.

Something real important was to check out the craft before even considering starting the engine. I managed to complete three and one half hours of duel time but would need at least eight hours to qualify for solo permit.

My first landing when I was in control I hit the runway so hard that I bounced the craft high enough that the instructor hit the throttle and we continued to keep flying. The second time around I managed a decent landing, making my instructor happy.

I still admire the Piper Cub. It was used in many low flying stints during World War Two. It was used a lot to pick up the wounded in the battle fields where it could. Today the helicopter is more proficient for that task.


I still remember that fondly. That fall I joined the Navy but never was able to do any piloting again. 

Above

By Ken Lewis

Mostly things we can’t touch, but often wish we could, our hands passing, effortlessly through a featureless canvas of slate gray nothingness. But wait, it’s air.

Clouds drift along currents of an invisible ocean. They change their shape, depending on the mood of the sky; sometimes tranquil, sometimes fierce.

We shouldn't limit our “looking up” to clouds, though. Night time beacons beckon…I like the sound of that-- “Beacons beckon.”  I recently read that astronomers had discovered an exoplanet in a vast system of numerous suns, which makes me think that the Creator put it into motion, a Creation that spawns life sustaining possibilities wherever possible.

Like it was said in the movie Contact: “… that’s an awful waste of space.”

Happy Independence Day!

Ada Writers

hopes you have 

great and safe 

Fourth of July holiday!

Ada Writers look at Summer

By Mel Hutt

Summer is a time of sunshine, hot weather, and an occasional thunderstorm. Last summer we were more like the Dust Bowl era with much heat and little moisture.

It is a time to grow a garden, if your land allows. We enjoy the sunshine and occasional rain shower. With such a large lawn as we have, I spend many hours on my John Deere tractor/mower to keep the lawn looking good.

Morning Glories grow the best here. The veggies we buy. The farmers market is an asset to the people of this area. We enjoy watermelons sliced and eaten on our back porch.

The summer time brings the birds nesting on our two porches. It is fun to watch the parents care for their young after all the work they put into building the nest.

***

By Gail Wood

In the heat of an Oklahoma summer, as a child, I would squat with my knees under my chin and sift the fine dirt in the ruts in front of our garage. My fingers delighted in the silky feel of the dust created by rain and sun and the tires on my mother's green Chevy. I had seldom felt the smoothness of real satin, but I knew what it should feel like. I felt the satin of the Earth, a gift of Nature, not a store-bought version encumbered with status and ego.

This dirt marked the seasons for me. First, spring rains created puddles of soupy mud. Then, as the mud dried in the summer sun, it would turn into puzzle pieces with curled edges, each piece shrinking away from its neighbor. These pieces could be lifted and crumbled through the fingers, transforming their hard brittleness into silky dust. This process was speeded up on the rare occasions when my mother would park her car in the garage. In an instant the tires would pulverize the crusty dirt into a tiny sensuous playground for my fingers.

That memory of summer has stayed with me throughout my life, and I still love to play in the dirt.

***

By Don Perry

Well, it's summer, and the garden is growing, but not producing much, yet. I have gotten most of the spring projects out of the way by now, and I have time to go striper fishing. Planning for a fall hunt is still a concern, but it can wait. Summer is a time to relax and watch as the world around me grows into the fullness of life. Even the grasshoppers are growing fat off my cabbage plants. The purple martin has already produced one brood of chicks and is evidently preparing for a second brood. I sit and watch as she adds to her nest above the light fixture on the back porch. She doesn't mind my watching, as she has gotten used to my presence by now, and is more concerned with other things.

All seasons hold their own wonders and surprises, but summer is probably the best because of the combination of the rebirth of the land and harvest of the bounty the world has to share. Summer fits nicely between Spring and Fall.

***

By Stephen B. Bagley

I remember summer as a child. How the sun felt against my small bare body as I jumped into the small pool near my house. How water coming from the well was always ice cold. Chasing fireflies across fields on the hill above my house. How the hot, humid days lasted a year and a half. How the stars burned in a black sky. Running across the alfalfa with my arms outstretched like I was flying.

I remember sneaking out of the house at midnight to wander the pastures under the moon. I was never afraid of the dark. I thought I was the most dangerous thing out in the night.

But when I got older, I learned some snakes hunted at night. I learned someone shot a bobcat near Roland. I learned we had rabid skunks, feral dogs, and drunken hunters who spotlighted deer and could easily mistake a child for an animal.

The night stopped being my friend. As I grew older and moved into town, it became even threatening. Burglars and drug dealers, gangs and drunk drivers. Like everyone else, I mostly huddle in my house at night, lock my doors, and sleep with a loaded .357 near. 

Still, sometimes I find myself wandering up the street in my neighborhood after dark. I carry a flashlight and a stout cane, but if I'm lucky, for a few minutes, when the wind rises and the moon is right, it feels like it did when I was child, when summer lasted forever and the summer night welcomed me under the million and one far away suns. 

Review of "Hunting the Corrigan's Blood"

By Stephen B. Bagley

Hunting the Corrigan's Blood by Holly Lisle starts with Cadence, the heroine, waking up in a locker with dead woman. Things go down for her from there. Cadence and her partner Badger recover lost or stolen items for their owners after the authorities have given up, and they've been given the task of recovering the Corrigan's Blood, a star ship with extraordinary properties. Unfortunately, the ship is at the center of several dangerous conspiracies, and Cadence finds herself running from planet to planet in a desperate attempt to survive.

The plot twists and turns, and just when the course of the book seems clear, Holly Lisle throws in a huge surprise. I'm not often surprised by an author, but this one raised my eyebrows. Naturally, it's not a pleasant surprise for Cadence; in fact, her job has revealed a terrible danger for the entire galaxy.

Cadence is an appealing character. She's hard-nosed, holds definite opinions about life, makes mistakes, has a true sense of justice, knows the meaning of regret and love, and has enough heart to temper all her actions with mercy. Above all, she's not a superwoman; she's so human that it hurts to read about her losses.

Don't think, however, this is a romp through space. I don't know if there is a category for "dark science fiction" like there is for dark fantasy, but this book definitely would belong in DSF. Cadence confronts  terrible things. How she deals with what she finds makes for an intriguing and fast-paced read. I was sorry when the book ended.

Createspace, 2013

Review of "Gone Girl"

By Martha Rhynes

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn is listed in the Wall Street Journal and New York Times as a best seller. This mystery/romance is the story of a dysfunctional marriage, told in alternating chapters, from the first person point of view of Nick Dunne, the husband, and Amy Elliot Dunne, his wife. Nick's narrative moves the plot forward, except for a few flashbacks, but most of Amy's story unfolds in a diary. A perceptive reader will soon discover that both protagonists are unreliable narrators.

Their romance begins in New York City, where they meet and fall in love. During an economic recession, they lose their jobs as journalists and move to the husband's boyhood home in Missouri. Nick becomes an instructor at the local college, and Amy becomes a frustrated, stay-at-home wife. The mystery begins when Amy disappears. Evidence indicates she has been murdered.

Flynn's characterization of protagonists and secondary characters complicates the mystery and adds to suspense. Evidently, to please modern readers, Flynn has included many salacious details, and her overuse of the word f--- will no doubt distract some readers. The denouement of Flynn's dystopian romance is dissolute and depressing.

New York; Crown, 2012

A Reading from "Creations 2012"

Gail Wood reads her poem "At Eighty" from the anthology Creations 2012 by Ada Writers.

A Reading from "Creations 2012"

Stephen B. Bagley reads his poem "Passion" from the anthology Creations 2012 by Ada Writers.

A Reading from "Creations 2012"

Rick Litchfield reads his poem "The Valentine" from the anthology Creations 2012 by Ada Writers.

A Reading from "Creations 2012"

Martha Rhynes reads her memoir "Holding My Mouth Right" from Creations 2012 by Ada Writers.

Meeting reminder

Howdy!

Just wanted to remind everyone of our meeting tomorrow, Saturday, March 9, 2013, 11 a.m. in the upstairs meeting room at the Ada Library. We're trying to arrive early so that we can social a bit before the meeting.

Bring and share your writing assignments for this meeting:
1. 5 minute timed writing on Spring
2. 50-75 words about one of your heroes

And remember, if you have a previous Assignment -- such as a Letter to the Editor -- bring it to the meeting to share, also.

Our program will be "Green" Greeks: Story Inspirations by Ken Lewis. I'm looking forward to it!

See you there!

Stephen B. Bagley

President, Ada Writers

Upcoming March 9th meeting

Howdy!

Our next meeting will be Saturday, March 9, 11 a.m., upstairs in the Ada Public Library. The program will be "Green Greeks: Story Inspiration" by Ken Lewis. This promises to be surprising and informative.

Our assignments for the meeting are:
1) 5 minute timed writing on Spring and
2) 50-75 words on one of our heroes.

Naturally we will share our writing news  and assignments, discuss this year's anthology, discuss a Classic poem, and cheer our fellow writers toward writing success.

The public is invited, especially if they bring cookies. Hope to see you at the next meeting.

Stephen B. Bagley
President

Next meeting

Howdy all!

I hope you've had a good week in writing and otherwise. This post is to remind you of our meeting this Saturday, Feb. 9th, at 11 a.m. upstairs at the Ada Public Library. Guests are welcome (especially if they bring cookies).

The program will be "What Keeps A Reader Reading?" by Tom Yarbrough. We'll also be discussing "Creations: Romance," the writing contest, member updates, and more. 

Don't forget to bring your ready-to-mail Letter to the Editor. I'll be bringing envelopes addressed to the Ada News. We'll be mailing Martha's letter first since it refers to a recent event and is timely.

If you've not paid your dues yet, remember to bring your yearly dues. The dues allow you to be a voting member and to submit your works to "Creations: Romance." And if you have your submission for the anthology ready, please bring and turn in. The soonerweI get to work on it, the easier it will be to produce.

There will also be a new Assignment. And a couple of surprises. :)

See you there!

Stephen B. Bagley

President