Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

What's in a name? Take "monsoon" for instance. A rainy, cool phase of weather, often welcomed in the tropics, is the name for the weather in the southwestern states as the calendar page flips to August. Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas all welcome the monsoon season for the most part, though dangerous lightning and flash flooding may accompany the more moderate temperatures.

Talking recently to Lena May Carroll, now residing in Arizona with her youngest child, brought smiles as she was bemoaning it was too cold to go out and watch the spectacular sunset. Smiling, that is, because this issue has a picture of her wading in the Pecos River near Grandfalls in 1934. Husband (Daddy Jack) was the photographer, and she was always one of his favorite subjects. It is shown with her poem "Report on Baby" written after the birth of your editor's baby sister.

Another daughter, moi, inherited the habit if not the gift of rhyming thoughts, doing so this issue with "TV Marketing Tip." We welcome a new poet to our magazine, Jennifer Dickau with her tribute to veterans, "Prouder to be an American." Click her byline to see her bio, (works with all authors and shows their compositions published with Pencil Stubs Online.)

M.J. Mansfield pens a courteous triplets verse, "Thank You." Would that we all could express our gratitude so well. John I. Blair, shares his cleverly worded thoughts, in "Talking a Tightrope," "I Live With Cats," "SAGE," "Sitting in My Swivel Chair," "Swenson’s Bluff (Blair’s Bluff)," and the artfully constructed "So Tired."

Bruce Clifford sings his submissions into existence, humming right along for August with "King of The Road," "Wish I Could Take Your Pain Away," "Made in the Shade," "I Don't Know Why," "You're Breaking My Heart," and "I Know." What would we do without such soulful thoughts. Bud Lemire returns this month with the reassuring verse, "We're Here With You."

Eric Shackle straightens out a few misconceptions with his article, "Wrong Firemen Given Credit." Leo C. Helmer adds an episode to the Great Jobs series with a tongue twisting title, "Chapter 9-I Lost That 4F Card In The Bottom Of The Deep Blue, Caribbean Sea."

"All Day I’ll Go A-Wanderin’" an article wherein LC Van Savage pans, then embraces her age and tells us why. Her column "Consider This" reveals a lot about this author's laudable viewpoints.

Gerard Meister serves us a heart nourishing episode in "Thinking Out Loud," and Thomas O'Neill ("Introspective") treats us to a sad, reflective tale that addresses "Intuition."

"Irish Eyes" by Mattie Lennon apprises us of his latest project to reach fruition, a DVD called "Sunrise on the Wicklow Hills." Your editor has enjoyed it, with tears streaming down her face from the beauty of its scenery, and the touching folk tales sung by different artists. Being a quarter Irish and never having the possibility of visiting there, the dvd is the next best thing. (Thank you, Mattie.)

David Francis ("Dave's Here") lifts his sights for his new magazine and shares how he plans to achieve his goal. "Eric Shackle's Column" has Eric taking note of the anniversary of Liverpudlia. Don't know that one? Think of the Beetles.

The French got to our cooking editor, Leo C. Helmer ("Cookin' With Leo") and he sorta makes amends with his recipe this issue. The "Mailbag" column presents one of the recently emailed anonymous offerings in the long poem, "What Makes Me Me." Just sharing the fun of seeing how many of your memories it kindles.

All of the animal fanciers will want to read "Princess Prayer" by Jacob Wight. Surely many of you have felt similar depths of emotion, but he does express it with such sensitivity.

Well, as we wrap up this page, the rain is threatening again. One could grow tired of the monsoon season, couldn't they?

See you in September!