Category: Dispatches

Greetings, Dear Ones! Thankfully, what took four weeks to create only took a mere three days to dismantle. The Ocean Liner Exhibition was a lifetime dream! A massive THANK YOU to those who made that dream come true. What would life be without dreams? Right? A big THANK YOU to all those who came to […]

Mississippi – a place of extremes. Wealth and poverty. Knowledge and ignorance. Love and hate. Beauty and squalor. Famous and infamous. Divine and secular. But there’s nowhere else I’d rather live, and I thank God most every day that He allowed me to be born in this state of extremes, in which I learned how […]

Greetings! Ever have one of those days and nights? Yesterday, wow, a great day! Got the yard in tiptop shape. Shopped for the Outlet Mall Christmas display. Had a delightful supper compliments of the Half-Shell Oyster House. Came home and watched one of my favorite movies, “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Then I brushed my teeth. […]

Greetings! I love a good walk to the beach. And today, mercy me, it was a cloudy, blustery day, Christopher Robin. I love the feel of the wind fluttering through my clothes. I love the smell of the sea and the cool mist as it hovers overhead. Love hearing the crunching oak leaves beneath my […]

Greetings! After fifty years of attending theater along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I sometimes find myself yawning and thinking, “Oy Vey! Another opening, another show!” However, then, something wholly unique and exhilarating comes along, and from the moment the house lights dim and the stage lights come up, you are swept into another world of […]

Greetings! I have been dismayed by people who have applauded the murder of Mr. Kirk. Whether you agree or disagree with what he said and stood for, no human deserves to be murdered in cold blood in front of his/her family. I believe in free speech. You wanna yell. “Fire!” in a theater, go right […]

Greetings! Small world, ain’t it! This wonderful house is owned by Mrs. Emma Foy, a grand dame of the Old School, as we say down South. While searching the internet for a snap of a grand old house to use on the cover of my novel, “A Chasing of the Wind,” I came across Mrs. […]

“If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture–Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself–ye do well.” Everyone deserves a gentle word or a simple act of kindness, regardless of whether they are in your comfort zone or not. As you pass others today, try to see them through God’s eyes…struggling fellow sinners in […]

Greetings on this rainy Saturday morning! A fish camp? What comes to mind? Those dilapidated, paint-peeling hovels you pass while going down through the Rigolets toward New Orleans? Well, let me tell you, times have changed. THANK YOU, Janie and Frankie Bertucci, for inviting us to your fish camp! It’s a grand place, and we […]

It was hot–very hot–on Saturday, August 27, 2005! While sitting in a wicker rocker, sipping iced coffee and enjoying the cool of my balcony, I observed over two thousand people running along Gulfport’s picturesque 2nd Street. Along the way, homeowners had set up cooling stations comprised of frozen bottles of water and garden hoses spraying […]

H.O.P.E. = HOLD ON PAIN ENDS! In light of all that’s happening in our dear country, it’s good to remember we still have hope, because God makes all things right in the end. As the Good Book states: And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, […]

Greetings, Family and Friends! I’ve seen this post shared on many Facebook pages. And now, after a few embellishments of my own, I’m sharing it with you. I haven’t studied the Bible nearly as much as I should have in my life, and there are many things in it that I don’t understand, yet I […]

The First and Last – EMPTY MANSIONS, THE MYSTERIOUS LIFE OF HUGUETTE CLARK “Huguette and Andree, daughters of the multimillionaire former senator W.A. Clark, arrived in New York Harbor in July 1910, immigrants to their own country.” So begins this fascinating book, which reveals a complex portrait of a secretive lady who inherited $300 million […]

Dispatches from Home: Here are seven words that many believe capture the deepest emotions in the English language. Take a moment today to let these words linger in your thoughts and inspire kindness in every encounter, with loved ones and strangers alike. Big hug, y’all! (Originally posted August 25, 2014)

A Passing Gulfport Icon: I saw in today’s fish wrapper that Helen Cranford passed away on August 7, 2014. Her obituary was short, as was she, but it did not begin to express what she once meant to downtown Gulfport. Her café, Helen’s Coffee Shop, was a local watering hole for the Gulfport breakfast and […]

Thought for the day from Open Windows: “Kind words are good medicine, but deceitful words can really hurt.” Boy! Howdy! Do I need to read Proverbs 15:4 evey day. It describes two different people – one wise and the other ignorant. “The wise person thinks before speaking, is open to advice and counsel, and encourages […]

Greetings! Wow! From my old theater scrapbook comes this little remembrance of things past. Eddie Galey was one of my all-time favorite directors at Gulfport Little Theater! Her able assistant, David Delk, was just starting out on his Coastal theatrical career. In the theater’s 1984 production of “Dracula,” Eddie directed David Delk as Johnathan Harker […]

Greetings! A week ago today, our production of West Side Story ended. The curtain came down, the costumes were packed away, the sets dismantled, and our makeup removed. We—the director, crew, and cast members—then returned to our respective lives, going about doing what we do in a normal course of events. But even though the […]

The first words from his book and the last – “I was born in Tuckahoe, near Hillsborough, and about twelve miles from Easton, in Talbot County, Maryland. I have no knowledge of my age. – From that time until now, I have been engaged in pleading the cause of my brethren, with what success, and […]

Greetings! Regardless of your belief or non-belief in God, the Old Testament Book of Proverbs is a timely collection of ancient wisdom–wisdom that can still be applied to our lives in the 21st Century. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists seven things that God hates. 1. Arrogant eyes 2. A lying tongue 3. Hands that shed innocent blood […]

Greetings! What are the characteristics of teachable people? Those people who are willing to learn from the mistakes of those older and wiser, those seeking advice on life’s thorny issues. “A teachable spirit is necessary for living a meaningful and successful life. Valuing and receiving instruction from wise counselors is central to the Bible’s concept […]

Greetings! Well, it’s been one of those days…Mom’s not Mom. She got up around 4:30 this morning–agitated and restless–and has been going strong ever since. But Rachael Gabrich Hatten saved the day! She graced us with a visit and said, “Have you tried giving her a doll to hold?” No was my answer. When she […]

Last Friday, I attended the funeral of my dear neighbor, Aggie Vanover. Until we again, dear lady… In your memory, I’ve written you a little poem titled “Goodbye Until We Meet Again.” Your dear old house is silent and dark, The sharp sickle of Death has left its mark. It’s hard to fathom that you’re […]

Greetings! Gulfport Little Theater’s Summer Musical, Sweet Charity, 1984. Wow! So many old friends, some of whom have been called Home. Later Theatrical Gaters! (Originally posted August 5, 2018)

Greetings! On a friend’s FB page, Professor Charles Davis, a beloved local history teacher, posted the following statement concerning depression: “I often asked my students if they could go back in time, where would they go and during what period? One student said, ‘The womb…and never come out.’”      Depression, a prevalent issue among today’s […]

Greetings! This is one of my favorite TITANIC stories, a semi-frozen Phoenix that rises from the fridge-cold waters of the dark Atlantic. My friends, times are frightful, the world is a scary place. But with grit and determination, and God’s help, we’ll survive our own “fridge-cold waters” of this dark world. Never give up, never […]

Greetings! A wee bit of history. Originally, the Dog Days of Summer ran from July 24th through August 24th. It was thought that this was an evil time when the sea would boil, wine would turn sour, and dogs would go mad. Disease would also be on the rise. The dates for this period have […]

Attention First Baptist Church, Crystal Springs, Mississippi. In church this morning at FBC Gulfport, I was shocked (but not surprised) to hear of your decision to deny a black couple’s marriage in your sanctuary. Was it due to their color? Is it somehow related to church politics? Or a power struggle to rid the church […]

Greetings! Like many of you, dear family and friends, I know the pain of grief. While stumbling through it, I often think of an oyster, the Good Book, and an invincible summer. We all have our favorite little quips and witticisms—here are mine. The lowly oyster covers an irritant grain of sand with priceless pearl. […]

Funerals are never easy. The grieving family stands before the open casket, their loved one seemingly asleep but lifeless to the eye and cold to the touch. Friends and loved ones gather. Handshakes and hugs abound. The Pastor gives a touching eulogy. Loving remembrances are heard. Soaring songs are sung. Tears flow. Sobs resound. Then […]

At 10:09 a.m. on the misty, foggy morning of July 26, 1956, the sleek and beautiful Andrea Doria, the pride of the Italian Steamship Line, sank off the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, into the cold, black waters of the North Atlantic. The loss of such an elegant and majestic vessel was a tragedy that reverberated […]

Greetings! Who remembers the Hummingbird? One delightful morning in the late 50s, Dad dropped Mom and me off at Gulfport’s train station. He then motored to New Orleans and would meet us there, while Mom and I rode the Hummingbird. I remember how smoothly the train glided out of the station, as we took our […]

Greetings! Please keep the family and friends of my dear friend, Carlos Faul Jr., in your thoughts and prayers. After two months of suffering, he’s now in the loving arms of Jesus and Home. Heaven’s rejoicing, but his family and friends are grieving. For those of us who know, the passing of a loved one […]

Greetings! My former pastor, Dean Register, has some enlightening words regarding the “cancel culture” phenomenon that appears to be sweeping the country. He wrote: “The current demand for “posthumous perfection” is insane. It’s popular today for news anchors, social activists, and historical revisionists to vehemently denounce the flaws of America’s founders. Indeed, they were flawed. […]

Ricky Latch – A Fond Remembrance. I was saddened to read the article about dear Ricky’s fatal car crash. I first met Ricky at auditions for SCROOGE THE MUSICAL in the fall of 1987. Kinard Fite directed the show for the Friends of the Saenger. To the day God called Ricky Home, he was one […]

Here’s your daily update: Mom passed a good night last night, as the old-timers say, although she was still a bit groggy from all the meds they’ve given her. Today, she’s more herself, ate a good breakfast, a tad of lunch, and a great supper. I think she’ll be discharged tomorrow! I just dashed home […]

Evening update on Mom. She’s out of ICU and in her own room. The brain scans indicated the hemorrhage has dissipated, which is a good thing. She was very agitated and babbled a lot, which she does when she has a spell, as I call it. They gave her a dose of Ativan, and she’s […]

Greetings, on this rainy, windy night. Dear Mr. Poe. A tortured soul, who, out of his torment, penned such beauty. Thank you! “Annabel Lee” by Edgar Allan Poe It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of […]

Greetings! An impromptu lunch with The Fab Four at Biloxi’s Acropolis Greek Restaurant turned into a delightful shared adventure of exploration and a walk down theatrical memory lane. I highly recommend the Acropolis’ moussaka eggplant lasagna! Yum, yum! After a long lunch of high jinks, silly banter, and a glimmer of hope concerning a future […]

Greetings1 Thoughts on changing Mississippi’s state flag: I’m all for it–if and only if–those who are demanding its change will sign a document stating once it’s changed, the Confederate Witch Hunt will stop. But I don’t think that will be the case. The following things that will fall victim to the witch hunt will be […]

Greetings! Ozymandias is one of my favorite poems. Shelly’s last words are haunting: “Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare. The lone and level sands stretch far away.” A quote from Sparknotes states: “Ozymandian symbolizes not only political power—the statue can […]

Greetings! Putting some finishing touches on the Ocean Liner Exhibition in the Duckett Gallery at the Mary C. Cultural Center in Ocean Springs! There are four more days until it opens on June 27th. Doors open at 5:30, and yours truly will give opening remarks in the auditorium at 5:45. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will […]

Greetings! Because I’m confined to quarters due to a bit of surgery and bored to death, I decided to pull out my old theatrical makeup kit. Channeling dear ol’ Charles as the Hunchback, this is what I came up with. I think the left eye needs a little work. (LOL!) What say ye? Later Helpful […]

The Peace Cross has honored WWI heroes since 1925. Why is it now bothering the American Humanist Association? I responded to a dear friend’s comments on my post. Dawn, I went to the https://americanhumanist.org site, but could not take much of it. LOL. I have no problem with other people’s thoughts about God, or the […]

Greetings! Father’s Day Vacation. 1956. Silver Springs, Florida. Mom packed us a huge lunch, and off we went for a picnic. There’s Pop sporting some cool sunglasses while eating a delicious homemade bacon and tomato sandwich. And there’s me hugging a cold, Coke-A-Cola in a small bottle. Mom took the picture. Life was good! Pop, […]

Good morning! Well, today’s the day. I’m off to surgery to have some facial skin cancers removed. Prayers are appreciated. Yikes! I hope I don’t come back looking like dear old Frankenstein! Later Praying Gaters! UPDATE 06/21/2021 11:30 pm – All went well. Awaiting my biopsy report, which came back clean. (Originally posted June 21, […]

Greetings! Perhaps my former pastor, Dean Register, says it best: “While there are no simple answers or easy solutions to the growing immigration problem, some facts must be embraced. John Adams, signer of the Declaration of Independence and second President of the United States, wrote, “Facts are stubborn things regardless of our wishes or inclinations.” […]

Greetings! I’ve been asked to write a theatrical bio for myself. I dislike bios because they always seem like a person is bragging. That’s not my intent. The little grey cells aren’t what they used to be. Did I leave out something significant? Later, Helpful Gaters! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx By way of introduction, my name is Anthony […]

Greetings! Dear ol’ Will, a Mississippi boy who makes us proud. Profound words from a profound man! Pleasant dreams, my friends. Good night. Big hug. (Originally posted June 16, 2023)

Greetings! I want to thank everyone for their likes, loves, and comments concerning Mom’s 92nd birthday. As I’ve said before, I’m never sure what Mom does and does not understand. So this evening at the supper table, I told her it was her birthday. She smiled, but I knew that was not registering. So we […]

Mom – today would have been your 93rd birthday. Words cannot express how much I miss you! Happy Birthday, Mom! (Originally posted June 6, 2019)

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Mom! You would be 98 today. As the years have rushed by since Father God called you Home, I’ve often pondered what the words “I miss you” really mean. The answer came one night when, in a dream, I reached for your frail, sweet hand, and it wasn’t there reaching back. Oh! […]

Early this morning, I had the strangest dream I’ve had in recent memory. In it, I was sitting on the banks of a placid, indigo-blue lake. In front of me, a velvety carpet of verdant green grass, dappled by the sunlight shining through the trees, slowly sambaed its way to the water’s edge. Pairs of […]

Why are some of the most gifted, talented artists, writers, actors, and musicians – like Van Gogh, Hemingway, Robin Williams, and Mozart – seemingly possessed by “demons”? Could the demons in their minds be the very essence of their creativity, the driving force behind the beauty in their works of art, the power in their […]

I love this month—warm days, somewhat cool nights, a respite before the onslaught of a sticky-hot, south Mississippi summer! I also love lilies and caladiums. It gives me great pleasure to lovingly plant the bulbs in winter. Then, in early spring, one by one, their little, bushy-green haloes slowly emerge from God’s rich earth. As […]

Come sail away with me, The best is yet to be! Come dance away with me, And then we both shall see. The dying sun and feel its heat, And toast them both with champagne sweet. And when at last our summer’s done, When Fall eclipses our summer sun. Will laugh and sing of days […]

Death is multifaceted. After a loved one passes away, first comes the pain of loss, the tears, the funeral, the closing of the casket, and the cemetery. Not long after, though, the business side of death comes calling. The wills, banks, and financial institutions are contacted, and death certificates are sent. After days, or weeks, […]

Greetings! Last Thursday, May 22nd, the Fab Four motored to Bellingrath Gardens to view the Chinese Lantern Festival. We were not disappointed! The Lantern Festival is as grand as the gardens are at Christmas, but it does not incorporate the entire garden area. That is not a hindrance, though. The towering flowers, monumental dragons and […]

Greetings! When you read your local fish wrapper or watch the local and world news, what you read and see can be pretty frightening. In these days of chaos and uncertainty, it’s good to remember what the Good Book says: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.” […]

Today, as you gorge yourself with barbecue and chug it down with beer, did you take time to remember their sacrifice? As you lounge peacefully on the beach, eating chilled cherries and sipping champagne, did you stop to remember those who died so that you might indulge in such merriment? As you shop for things […]

Goodness grashus! I look like Hitler after a three-day drunk, in this snap! (Big smile!) I still have that crusty mustache in my makeup kit, and when I see it, it conjures a funny, fond memory. During the 1981 production of “Damn Yankees, ” at the Gulfport Little Theater, I learned a valuable lesson. My […]

Hands Down The Best Post I’ve Seen Written About Nottoway Plantation From A Proud & Intelligent Black Woman’s (Felicia Johnetta Williams Gary) Perspective. It’s long but well worth reading!!! “I’ve seen a lot of comments on various social media platforms about the burning of Nottoway. I’m not on social media platforms a lot, but every […]

Today’s Bible reading was Luke 6, Verses 37-42. In these verses, Jesus taught about judging others. The commentary on these passages said: “A forgiving spirit demonstrates that a person has received God’s forgiveness. If we are critical rather than compassionate, we will also receive criticism. If we treat others generously, graciously, and compassionately, however, these […]

In the 1960s, the Mississippi Gulf Coast was suspended in time. Unlike today, there were no high-rise apartment buildings, garish casinos, ballparks, or aquariums. There were, however, magnificent houses, grand old hotels, mom-and-pop motels, full-service gas stations, sophisticated nightclubs, and a few not-so-sophisticated ones. Time wasn’t necessarily standing still, but it certainly wasn’t winning any […]

Greetings! With a bittersweet heart, I report that my dearest, sweet Miss Pete was called Home to Glory the day after Mother’s Day. Just like her to delay her departure so her dear family could have their last Mother’s Day together, she was 101 and ready to go. This dear lady was one of Mom’s […]

Micah 6:8 – “Do Justly. Love mercy. Walk humbly with God” was one of my dear mother’s favorite Bible verses. This verse so inspired her that she cross-stitched it as a New Year’s resolution in 1989. In her old red Bible, she wrote: “DOING justly means righting wrongs, championing the oppressed, being honest, and treating […]

The play, Kaufman and Feber’s bittersweet soufflé of the glory of The Great White Way, closed today at Center Stage, Biloxi. And by Tuesday of this week, all this theatrical elegance will be nothing more than sawdust and memories. The set design was by Chuck White, the theater’s resident director. Bruce Berry was in charge […]

Thought for the day: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” (Originally posted May 6, 2018)

Greetings! As a lover of musicals, I’m sure you’ll agree that they are a unique and powerful art form. They don’t just entertain us with their stirring music, breathtaking choreography, and attention-grabbing plots. They also educate us about historical events and help us understand our differences. Over the past hundred years, they have played a […]

Greetings! We live in a ME ME ME society, where selfishness and doing things my way are the rules of the day. But there are times when a random act of kindness reminds us of what humans are capable of. Though kindness may not be often demonstrated in our ME ME ME society, it should […]

It’s the early 1980s, a billowy summer’s day as we steamed out of Gulfport’s harbor aboard the elegant, old yacht, the Francis Fayard. It’s been so long ago, I don’t remember the young lady’s name. Watch that hand, Mister! (LOL!) However, it appears we’re having a good time, as evidenced by our smiling faces and […]

The Way We Were, many moons ago. I wonder how many dreams were shattered at the Dreamboat Inn located in Port Gibson, Mississippi, circa 1940? LOL. Later History Gaters! (Originally posted April 28, 2016)

Greetings! I am miserable today after seeing Center Stage’s production of “Misery” last night. However, I’m now the production’s “number one fan.” I am miserable because of David Slatten‘s gritty, nerve-wracking portrayal of Paul Sheldon and his “pain” as he struggles to survive the “love” shown to him by Annie Wilkes, masterfully portrayed by Daisha […]

Greetings! Today would have been dear Susan’s 70th birthday. Happy Heavenly Birthday to you, old friend. Wow! What a fun New Year’s Eve this was! It’s the late 1970s, and we are dancing it in at Biloxi’s old Sheraton Hotel to the strains of Art Sissle and his talented little team of horn and trombone […]

Greetings! It’s hard to believe that dear Jayne would have been 90 today. For those who don’t know, she has a strong connection to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, specifically Gus Steven’s Night Club. Not long ago, I visited the site of her death in that horrific auto accident, all those foggy nights ago. Sad that […]

Greetings!      The scriptures remind us that we have been bought at an extraordinary price. As the songwriter beautifully expresses, “Jesus paid it all.” This truth reveals just how deeply valued we are by Father God.      The Apostle John reminds us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, […]

Good afternoon, on this gorgeous spring day! A few snaps from our tour of the Royal Yacht, Britannia. The ship was one of the highlights of our September 2022 trip. She looked as if she could set sail right then and there; she was so well-maintained. What a wonderful time, Samuel Geoffrey Polk and I […]

In 1865, the Sultana, a Mississippi riverboat loaded with Civil War wounded, exploded and burned; over 1,500 died. In 1914, the Empress of Ireland collided with another ship; 1,012 died. In 1915, the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine; 1,200 died. In 1940, the Lancastria, part of the Dunkirk evacuation, was hit by the […]

While recently waiting in line for some eye meds at the local apothecary shop, I spotted what I thought was an old friend of mine, who seemed to whisper, “Please don’t leave me here. It’s been so long since last we met.” I didn’t, and quickly picked up the reissued National Geographic magazine that initially […]

When we read about the Titanic, its first-class passengers, with their gilded wealth and posh lifestyles, are always front and center. Second-class passengers are mentioned, too, a myriad of preachers, missionaries, businessmen, teachers, and middle-class families. When third-class passengers are mentioned, most have one thing in common—the better life awaiting them in the Land of […]

Greetings! Spring is my favorite time of the year to visit New Orleans. The city’s massive oaks are crowned with spring-green leaves as magenta azaleas gather at their feet. The cacophony of city sounds, bustling people, and the delicious aroma of equally delicious food wafting through the air are a visitor’s dream. But today, there […]

Gentlemen today are as scarce as true ladies in this crass, unmannered society in which we find ourselves. Over 30 years ago, I read an article on good manners in GQ magazine. A quote from it went something like this: “In today’s society, the person who possesses good manners possesses a dazzling social asset.” Hummmm. […]

Good afternoon! I was 16 when I checked out a book from the Harrison County Library on Hwy 90 – “When London Walked in Terror.” This book is still considered one of the best books about Jack the Ripper. Imagine my thrill fifty-five years later when, on a dark, cloudy night, I actually walked the […]

Greetings! While reading the story of Christ’s birth, as recorded by St. Luke, I found it interesting that two women–Mary and Elizabeth, humble housewives–were the first to hear of the coming Savior, not men. On that first Resurrection Morning, women also discovered that Christ did exactly as He said He would–rise from the grave in […]

Like Dickens’ old curiosity shop, my little house is a repository of battered antiques, ruined finery, and dusty memories. Because less-is-best in interior design these days, when I shuffle off this mortal coil, my treasures may bring a buck-fifty at a garage sale. (Big Smile) However, my collection of Titanic memorabilia might bring a wee […]

Greetings! Goodness grashus! What a raucous, fun time was had last night at the Kalbergs’ palatial estate in the Hood. I think it is safe to say that our sides are still sore from laughing so much! Gather a gaggle of thespians together, and their stories—some true, some embellished, and some suspicious—are sure to entertain. […]

Greetings! What a fun three days it’s been! I’ve not seen Cousin Alex Baridon in over 40 years. What a grand reunion it was! To add icing to the cake and some sweet sugar, too, were my other cousins: Peggy Gunter Stone, Billy Thornton, and his beautiful wife, Sylvia. We’re incredibly proud of Billy, and […]

Greetings! In the past year, I’ve read the following books—or tried to. I’m a slow reader and don’t always retain much of what I read. I wish my tiny brain was bigger and smarter. Have you read any of these books? Marcel Proust’s “Remembrance of Things Past” – Yikes! Tried wading through this tome, but […]

Greetings! Of all the many, poignant Titanic stories, to me, this is one of the saddest, the Goodwind Family. They were an entire family looking forward to a new life in the promised land, only to die screaming in the icy-cold waters of the North Atlantic. I can’t help but think of their final moments: […]

Greetings family and friends! Question? What is the very first song–Hymn, Big Band, Opera or Operetta, Rock-In-Roll, Symphony, Musical, etc.–that you remember hearing. Me? It was the old hymn, “Holy, Holy, Holy.” When I was a child, Dad, Mom, and I attended Biloxi’s Trinity Baptist Church. I couldn’t have been more than four or five […]

This fabulous snap of Molly Cox–portraying Cora Enochs White at the 2015 Old Biloxi Cemetery Holloween tour–reminds me of my favorite memory concerning this lovely, talented lady. It was winter, an unusually fridged winter long ago in the mid-1990s. I saw Molly enter the gilded lobby of Biloxi’s Saenger Theater. Her eyes sparkled; her radiant smile […]

Greetings! This snap brought tears to my old eyes. The caption read: “An evicted mother, a matchbox maker, with her two children. Bethnal Green. East London. 1890.” I title it: “One chair. One bundle. One lamp. One table. Two children. One mother. And no place to go.” Did she find somewhere to live? Did her […]

Greetings! Og, the leprechaun, and I wish you a Happy St. Patrick’s Day. It’s hard to believe he and I met in 1984, during the Mississippi Gulf Coast Opera’s production of “Finian’s Rainbow” at the Saenger Theater. Haven’t seen him since. I miss the old boy! But I don’t miss all that green makeup. Big […]

Greetings! As many of you know, my fascination with ocean liners began in the early 1960s when I was introduced to the R.M.S. Titanic via a book and a movie. This fascination was further fueled when I watched “Gentlemen Marry Brunettes” on a late-night TV show in the mid-70s. Released in 1955, the movie starred […]

Good evening. I want to thank everyone who attended Mom’s funeral! I know she would have been humbled by the outpouring of your love and words of encouragement, as was I. A special word of thanks goes out to my dear friend, Janie Still Walters, for the humor and joy she brought to a bittersweet […]

“Many live their lives in order to gain riches, which will not last. Some seek beauty, fame, and popularity, which will soon fade away. The world will tell us that we need many things in order to make our lives complete. But a person who receives wisdom gains the insight to prioritize his life according […]

I Am Mississippi I’m the land of the Choctaw The hills of Vicksburg, and a crosscut saw Dinner on the ground and a muscadine vine I’m a longleaf pine, and Mississippi’s on my mind I’m a banjo pickin’ and all night sings Azaleas a ‘bloomin’ in Ocean Springs I’m a Gospel Singer and the old […]

I don’t remember much about that night, the night of the accident. I was only four-and-a-half years old. My father was working the night shift, and my mother and I were on our way to pick him up. As mother always did on those nights, she laid a snuggly-warm, patchwork quilt on the back floorboard […]

It is with bittersweet joy that I must inform you that God called my dear mother Home about an hour ago. I’ll post the funeral arrangements later. Thank everyone again for your prayers and kind words of encouragement! Big hug to you all! (Originally posted February 22, 2019)

One year ago today, God called my dear mother Home. The morning was foggy with rain. A dull silence filled the house. I’d slept a somewhat sleepless night, pondering what the future held for Mom and me since she was practically bedridden. When I checked on her in the wee hours of the morning, she […]