I was excited to begin the September 30 Localism challenge on Active Rain.  I thought it would be both fun and challenging to post daily blogs about the local area AND get an extra 3000 points!  Well, I DID get two posts done: #1 - Second Largest Employer in the State 9/1/11 #2 - So You're a Leader? 9/2/11 And then I lost my satellite internet service.........   In the community where I live, we have endured one of the the most severe droughts in years.  While many people in the nation are concerned about more flood waters, residents in West Central Louisiana, were hoping for just a couple of inches of rain to relieve the parched pasture land - home of many cattle and horses.  My husband comes from a family of cattlemen, so not just our family- but many other family businesses have been... 09/05/2011

  In 1959, there was no Kindergarten class available at the the small rural school I attended! This is actually a picture of me a little younger than Kindergarten age. My first year of school was First Grade. We bought "cokes" (which was NOT limited to Coca Cola products) for six cents at the vending machine in the school hall at recess........ We sat in great desks.......one of which I purchased for my home when the old school was torn down!  We read about Alice and Jerry and their perfect lives and wondered why ours wasn't..... Just before my Mother died, she purchased this antique copy of "Friendly Village" for me as a Christmas gift!  She knew I would love it! And my  first grade teacher knew how to use a ruler VERY well - just NOT for measuring!  It was years before I knew that it ... 08/31/2011