Rich: Pictures on the wall

Coffee cup in hand, I stopped at the window and took in the beauty of a Tennessee early morning.It was all so pretty and soothing, with a perfectly manicured yard, large trees, a blackboard fence, and horses grazing.I thanked the good Lord for the opportunity to see such a pretty sight.

Rich: The beauty of Easter

Every Easter Sunday morning, my husband, Tink, doesn’t crawl out of bed to attend Sunrise Service.He jumps out of bed, dresses, then leans over to kiss me goodbye. “I’ll be back to get you for church,” he says softly.“Okay,” I mumble while pulling the covers up to my chin and going back to sleep.

Rich: What to write

A famous friend of mine was with me at an event, and I came home with three stories. I sat down and composed them in a breeze.She was perplexed. “I was at the same event, and I didn’t see that. How can you see a story where I don’t?”I thought about it for a moment, then answered.

Rich: The trophy

The good Lord has a sense of humor. Of this, I am very certain. I’ve seen His sense of humor a few times, but I was reminded of it the other day.I was in the barn looking for something when I walked by a box of Tink’s father’s things.

Rich: The real world

A few years before singing star Glen Campbell was forced to give up his fabled career due to illness, I spent a couple of hours listening to his stories.Actually, I was the guest of his opening act, Grand Ole Opry star Roy Clark.

Rich: My regret

Fifteen years ago, I wrote a column that I came to regret as soon as it was published.Whenever I hear someone say proudly that he has no regrets in life, a string of regrets runs through my heart and quickly humbles me (‘umbles as we say in the mountains).

Rich: The South’s ways – Charlotte radio show

Excitedly, many years ago, I was a young girl who was a novice author, publishing with Penguin-Putnam, one of the world’s largest publishers.

Rich: The joy of leisure

On summer days, our swimming hole stays pretty busy. In fact, Tink has taken to keeping a calendar of who wants it when.

Rich: I called Mama

The weekend morning was close to becoming afternoon when I pulled myself out of bed and headed to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.It seemed as if the entire house came to life. Tink came bopping down the stairs from his office, and the dogs eagerly joined us.

Rich: The beautiful sisters

When I was in junior high, I discovered three beautiful sisters in high school. Connie, Sharon, and Vicki.Occasionally, I had a class in the high school hall and one of the beauties would float by while I, clinging to my books, stared, star-struck.