Linda Pearce Griffin

The Bicycle

I wanted a bicycle so bad and was too young to do anything about it except hope that I’d get one for Christmas. I had learned there was no such thing as Santa Claus and so I understood the relationship between how much money your parents had or didn’t and what you might or mightContinue reading “The Bicycle”

The Cloud

Folks who know me know this: I am NOT tech savvy in the least! What I do know amounts to being able to turn on my computer, check email, and googling stuff. That’s about it. The fact that I’m even doing this blog is nothing short of miraculous and would be impossible except for myContinue reading “The Cloud”

Homecoming

I was raised in a rural Southern Baptist Church when the only air conditioning in the summer were hand held fans with pictures of Jesus on one side and funeral parlor advertisements on the other. There was plenty of hellfire and brimstone on Sunday mornings, Prayer Meetin’ on Thursday nights, and lots of hymns sungContinue reading “Homecoming”

Outhouse

For those of you too young or refined to know what an outhouse is let me explain. Also referred to as a “johnnyhouse”, it is a small structure situated some distance from the house used to cover an earthen latrine and protect the user from the elements. Typically it has one opening for one userContinue reading “Outhouse”

Gravity

I have been thinking about gravity a lot recently. Not in the way that a scientist would think about such a thing – just as an ordinary person who is affected by this phenomenon. I remember when I first heard about gravity. I was a very little girl who asked a lot of questions everyContinue reading “Gravity”

The Clothesline Incident

One summer some years ago my parents lived in a duplex apartment a few doors down from my family. Out of town relatives came to visit the both of us for the weekend. The number of visitors overflowed our guest accommodations so my daddy set up their Cox Camper in our side yard to makeContinue reading “The Clothesline Incident”

Freedom of Choice

In 1954 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional and must end. Mostly it didn’t. In 1955 the U. S. Supreme Court ruled that integration should happen with “all deliberate speed.” And yet when I entered high school in 1964 our school remained all white. North Carolina, along with a number ofContinue reading “Freedom of Choice”

Learning to Drive

I grew up in the country and like many country kids I learned to drive a tractor long before I learned to drive a car. In fact, I learned to drive my daddy’s tractor when I could just barely reach the brakes. There wasn’t much to it really. Changing gears on a tractor is relativelyContinue reading “Learning to Drive”

Paper Dolls

Cleaning out the attic I ran across a couple of tattered boxes containing my old paper dolls. Inside I found my old friends – not as tattered as the boxes but definitely worn. When I was a little girl I spent endless hours playing with these paper friends. In case you are unfamiliar with theContinue reading “Paper Dolls”

Of Mice and Mama

My mama was a small woman – just a little over 5 feet tall. And prissy! Lord, that woman was prissy! She wouldn’t leave the house without lipstick. She believed in good manners and “acting like a lady” – hands in your lap (gloved if possible), knees together, and absolutely NO cursing. She could giveContinue reading “Of Mice and Mama”