stateoftheozarks weekly

Seasons’ Ends

BEEN THINKIN’ ABOUT… SEASON’S ENDS. One week ago, I was told to resign as Sunday School director, music leader, and deacon, of Smyrna Baptist Church by my fellow deacons after 16 years of Smyrna being my church home. The accusation (which was news to me) was occultism, heresy, and witchcraft. Appropriate for the Halloween season,…

StateoftheOzarks Weekly

Stories to Tell

Artwork by Clint Loveland, February 25, 2017. BEEN THINKIN’ ABOUT… STORIES TO TELL. Leaning back in my chair at Vintage Paris Coffee, I close my eyes, listening to the stories being spun and woven by the small group of dedicated writers around me. There is an oaky bitterness in the air, but only because I…

StateoftheOzarks Weekly

Rules of Travel

BEEN THINKIN’ ABOUT… RULES OF TRAVEL. Dusk, gray and lavender in the dark, settles over the old neighborhood. At the top of the stairs, the shadows lengthen, then sharpen, then fade. Sister and brother stand on the landing talking. “I think you’ll like this album. I wouldn’t have thought I’d like it. It’s country music,…