Kelly Learns
A compilation of my columns from the Sunday issues of the Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona.
I’ve been writing an every-other Sunday column for the Daily Courier in Prescott, AZ since late 2020, thanks to the kind encouragement of long-time columnist Ron Barnes, who spent over 30 years contributing his wisdom not only to the newspaper but to many other people and organizations in the Prescott area. He put in some good words to the publisher and editor for me when he decided to retire from column writing. It’s one of those gifts you never knew you wanted and then realize how grateful you are to have it.
The Daily Courier has exclusive rights to my column for 60 days after publication, which is why you might be reading a Christmas column in February. I love writing but seem to need a project and deadline to do it. Hopefully this blog will inspire me to write more. Thanks for stopping by to check out my site!
Living history
A few weeks ago, I was helping take photos of veterans at a local senior living facility. As part of the project, we asked the residents to bring photos of themselves from their time in the military so we could use them alongside the current photos. I scanned the old photos into my editing program and thought about how some looked like they could have been 1950’s movie stars, handsome in their dress uniforms, a mix of serious expressions and big smiles. Although sixty-plus years had passed, I could still see the traces of the younger men and women they were in their faces. But of all the historical photos I was given that day, the most precious was a full photo album shared by a 96-year-old Korean War veteran. He came down to pose for his photo and handed me a beautiful book with an...
Bottomless cup
The self-serve beverage station is one of my favorite food inventions of the modern era. I choose my restaurants based on the availability of endless cups of coffee without having to bug the staff for a warm-up. Some places will plop an insulated thermos of it on the...
No regrets
I was planning to write a light-hearted column this week, something about hot fall weather and having to dig my sandals back out and repaint my toenails. Or maybe a piece about our ongoing battle with a mysterious garden creature at war with the potted plants. But...
The joy of being bored
We decided to take a long weekend in Yucca, Arizona over the Memorial Day weekend with our dogs. When I told friends where we were going, I was met with some confused stares. “Where’s Yucca?” they’d say. If you haven’t been to Yucca, population 96 as of 2020, I’m not...
Second time around
When Wanda and Bill Starkman first met and fell in love, they were 16 and 20. Bill noticed Wanda walking by the pool hall he frequented in Blythe, California, and thought she was the prettiest girl in town and asked her out. They went on a few dates and six weeks...
The places you’ll go
I sat down in the hard wooden chair, squeezing my knees into the tiny space allotted to me in the middle seat of section 220, Row 13 of the Sky Dome in Flagstaff, surrounded by thousands of other proud family members waiting to see someone they love walk across the...
The Mediocre Gardener
I’m not sure what color my thumb is exactly. I know it’s not green. But when the pansies show up at the local garden center in early April, I have to buy at least one pot, even though I know I’m likely dooming them to a life of struggle. Luckily, they don’t do...
A Mighty Roar
It’s hard to close the door on 45 years of tradition, but the other night we voted with one final clang on the ceremonial brass bell to disband the Prescott Evening Lions Club. While I’ve enjoyed being president these last three years, I didn’t want to assume the role...
Before I die
Depending on where you are in life right now, it might feel like there are endless days ahead of you. Or perhaps you are slightly more seasoned, like I am, with mailings from AARP and Medicare creeping into my inbox and mailbox on a regular basis. Whatever your age,...
Be the match
You wouldn’t expect a vacation request to your supervisor to be life-changing, but for one local couple, it might mean they can finally take their two kids on a vacation without having to get back the next day for a dialysis session. I popped in at a local assisted...
Taking the plunge
Last week, I found myself in a nostalgic email exchange with a woman named Julie from Nisswa, Minnesota, population 2,032. I’m sure she didn’t expect to get an email from a distant coworker in Arizona asking her weird questions about whether Deer Forest and the...
Blanketed in kindness
I didn’t expect to see a dozen neatly folded Army, Navy and Air Force polar fleece blankets on the table when I walked into work on Monday. Each blanket was surrounded by 140 hand-tied knots, patiently tied by members of the Air Force Junior Reserve Officers’ Training...