By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I’m sitting here in the early morning hours, listening to the cicadas sing their unnecessarily loud song. They’ve thrown caution to the wind and are belting out, at full volume, the tones that herald oppressive humidity and afternoon thunderstorms. And as I listen, I’m struck by the fact that I’m notContinue reading “More Than Enough: The Measure of a Man 6/22/2025”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Wrapped Gladly Around His Finger 6/15/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I both am and have produced a Daddy’s girl.I should begin with a qualifier: my mother is my absolute best friend, so I suppose I’m also a Mama’s girl. Is it possible to be both? I think it is—especially considering my daughter may be in the same boat. But that’s anContinue reading “Wrapped Gladly Around His Finger 6/15/2025”
The More the Merrier 6/8/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt There have been balloons hanging in my house for almost a week now. There are cupcakes in my fridge that have been there nearly as long, and a large, themed “Happy Birthday” banner draped across my fireplace. It is framed by the aforementioned balloons. Why, you may be wondering, does myContinue reading “The More the Merrier 6/8/2025”
A Gem in the Middle of Nowhere 6/1/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt A friend of mine from work recently discovered my favorite locally owned grocery store. He’d heard about it for ages—not just from me, but from nearly everyone within a sizeable radius. Calling it a “supermarket” feels a bit exaggerated; perhaps “weemarket” fits better. Yes, I like that—*weemarket* it is. It mayContinue reading “A Gem in the Middle of Nowhere 6/1/2025”
Ghosts of Summers Past
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt My daughter has now finished her 3rd grade school year and summer is upon us. Even she commented on how quickly it seems to have gone by. It feels like we should be maybe mid-February or early March in the school year. Like we’ve been back since Christmas for a whileContinue reading “Ghosts of Summers Past”
The Weight of Dates and Dashes 5/18/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I have long had a fascination with cemeteries. I have actually written here about this before. I have talked about how this is an inherited trait since my parents share this interest. I think once you understand our reasoning for doing so it won’t come across as quite so macabre ofContinue reading “The Weight of Dates and Dashes 5/18/2025”
Different Hands Held Down Different Halls 5/11/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt They are tearing down my old school. If you’ve read here for a while you know that I live in an achingly rural community and the school that my daughter attends is the same one I attended. In fact, this community is so small, there was only one school for theContinue reading “Different Hands Held Down Different Halls 5/11/2025”
A Mystery 5/4/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt You would be surprised how difficult it is for me to not force upon you the same ideas over and over. If nothing else, writing has informed me of just how much I think about the things that have a deep impact on me. And every time I see or hearContinue reading “A Mystery 5/4/2025”
Everything Changes and Nothing Does 4/27/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I have heard it said more than once lately that the world is in trouble with this next generation coming up. No, it isn’t the most encouraging thing to hear. The thing is, I work on a major university campus, so I do get a very up close and personal samplingContinue reading “Everything Changes and Nothing Does 4/27/2025”
Resurrecting Easter 4/20/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I have very fond memories of Easter. The reminiscence from my childhood has me recalling some aspects that remain unchanged as well as some that only remain in my mind as I no longer have the pleasure of enjoying them. For some reason this year I am lending this holiday moreContinue reading “Resurrecting Easter 4/20/2025”
Tests of Our Mettle 4/13/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt Last week I waxed a bit philosophically, or at least I think it can safely be called that. I figured this week might be a better time to have a bit of a lighthearted story time. Now the tale I am about to tell does come with a bit of aContinue reading “Tests of Our Mettle 4/13/2025”
Warm, Fuzzy, Falsehood 4/6/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I had a topic all settled on. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to write on, but it would work. It was a good story to tell and as I have told it to many people I know, and they all found it intriguing I decided to go with it. AndContinue reading “Warm, Fuzzy, Falsehood 4/6/2025”
Experimental Exploits 3/30/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt At my daughter’s behest, I suppose I owe you all a story. I wrote a few weeks ago about an experiment that my family was going to undertake. And, as conclusions drawn from experiments often are, the results were a fascinating mixture of somewhat unremarkable and rather surprising. We attempted ourContinue reading “Experimental Exploits 3/30/2025”
Pros and Cons 3/23/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt Springtime has the distinction of being a mixed bag that can sometimes prove challenging. The season is the epitome of a love-hate relationship. I know some people that tend to lean further to one side or the other of those two extremes at this time of year and I must admitContinue reading “Pros and Cons 3/23/2025”
The Gales at Hand 3/16/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt There are storms coming so today will try to be brief. I have said I would be brief before, but I may just mean it today. Dangerous times are heading my way. They will come in a variety of forms, and I have no idea what exactly to expect. There willContinue reading “The Gales at Hand 3/16/2025”
Very Curious Indeed 3/9/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt This week, while driving either to or from work, I can’t remember which, I saw a man fishing. Now, I know what you’re thinking. How is this something significant enough for me to write about? People fish. It’s spring in the South and someone fishing seems a terribly reasonable thing. ButContinue reading “Very Curious Indeed 3/9/2025”
Gifts Outside the Box 3/2/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt While I am and have always been a very dedicated procrastinator, my delay in writing this week hasn’t exactly been due to my usual gleefully pushing things until the last minute but moreso due to the fact that it has just been an insanely busy week. Maybe you can relate toContinue reading “Gifts Outside the Box 3/2/2025”
Experimentation 2/23/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt In a few weeks my family will be conducting an experiment. It is something with which I am relatively familiar and an undertaking in which my husband has a great deal of experience. My daughter, however, has the faintest inkling of this enterprise much like someone who has looked at aContinue reading “Experimentation 2/23/2025”
A Typical and Not-So-Typical Night 2/16/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt We had been hearing that the weather was going to be questionable for several days. It is getting that time of year where storms are not uncommon. Unfortunately, the storms that were coming were going to be, as they are frequently, during the middle of the night. I swear that dangerousContinue reading “A Typical and Not-So-Typical Night 2/16/2025”
Heralds, Omens and Signs 2/9/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt At this time of year my mother becomes very impatient. Really once a new calendar year begins, she has an immediate goal that she is set to attain. And if you’re thinking I am referencing some sort of resolution or the like, you are way off base. Once the year beginsContinue reading “Heralds, Omens and Signs 2/9/2025”
People, Places and Things 2/2/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt I think I might be a bit different. Anyone reading this who knows me well probably finds that statement an obvious and terribly delayed announcement. I decided to make this statement because of what happened in my brain as I was trying to think of a topic for today. I hadContinue reading “People, Places and Things 2/2/2025”
Polarization 1/26/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt It has been a polar week. I mean that in pretty much every sense of the word that I can think of. If your first thought was the weather, then you would be correct. That is an accurate description of the climate of my area right now. If you thought aboutContinue reading “Polarization 1/26/2025”
How Quickly We Forget 1/19/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt We are a terribly forgetful people. Let me explain what I mean. We tend to forget past experiences when new situations arise. Difficulties which we all have seem to always catch us off guard. I am talking to myself very much here. I hope it is not secret that I amContinue reading “How Quickly We Forget 1/19/2025”
A Rare Day 1/12/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt Today is not your average day in most senses of the word. As I write this I am snuggled on my couch with a cup of coffee and a snoozing dog next to my leg. We are both tucked under a warm blanket. She stirs and gives a dramatic sigh fromContinue reading “A Rare Day 1/12/2025”
The Lies We Tell Ourselves 1/5/2025
By: Jennifer Richardson Holt Apparently, the new year hasn’t done much by way of refreshing my mind with new and interesting topics. The things that are currently in my mind most right now are all the typical commentary that one hears at the beginning of the year. There are the usual announcements of people whoContinue reading “The Lies We Tell Ourselves 1/5/2025”
Prose and Possibilities 