Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

"_I love quotations
because it is a joy to find thoughts one might have,
beautifully expressed with much authority by
someone recognized wiser than oneself._"
Marlene Dietrich

This will be an issue for both May and June as we are putting on our traveling shoes again if all goes as planned. It is certainly a large enough issue for two months with ten columns, three articles, and fifteen poems plus a couple more in the Tribute for your editor's mother. Although we lost her in March, we chose May for her tribute, the month of her birth as well as the day to honor Mothers. Memorial Day is also on the calendar so all in all it is perfect to have it now. We're sure she would approve. She always looked for the beauty in everything and everyone. Once upon a dewy morning, when we were weeding in the lawn, she called me over to her and had me place my head beside hers to gaze at a dandelion fully fluffed and ready to fly away. It was bedewed and each droplet showed a prism of rainbow colors--she was treating me to hundreds of rainbows in that one tiny puff of seeds. Nothing was too small to examine for its own beauty.

John I. Blair in "Always Looking" follows up on one of his more famous relatives, though he adds that it doesn't have to be Daniel Boone in your family tree for you to enjoy genealogy and the contacts it can bring you. Irish Eyes by Mattie Lennon relates his trip to Boston during which he had the opportunity to attend a play, "Trad."

Thomas F. O'Neill ("Introspective") includes some pics from China, and carries the reprint of an article done about him and a fellow Pennsylvanian teacher. LC Van Savage discusses Cookies in her column "Consider This," and implores changes in law concerning being out after dark and not wearing reflective clothing. A few ideas on it add up to her article, "There Oughtta Be A Law." Another article from Leo C. Helmer is updating us on what the Light Crust Doughboys are up to entertainment wise. Their colorful newsletter for May covers their history as told by Charles R. Townsend, but you can also learn about them in this article by Leo.

Gerard Meister's wry sense of humor has been revived in his column "Thinking Out Loud," still laughing here. Peg Jones in "Angel Whispers" shares some excerpts from her new book and some of the struggles she had becoming an author.

The Mail Bag contains some good news about another one of our authors, Anne Mitts, and you will also find a couple links to an interesting invention in printing. Leo C. Helmer whets your appetite with his brave bull version of Angelfood Cake in "Cookin' With Leo." "Eric Shackle's Column" alerts us to some current history in progress with follow up links available at his blogspot.

Bruce Clifford has seven poems for this combined issue as follows: "How Many Times," "I'm Lucky to Have You," "Now You're Here," "This Thing Called Fate," "Don't Lose That Smile," and "Always Thinking of You," and "Tug at My Heart."

John I. Blair's poetry begins with "Washing My Mother’s Hair," which is a pretty good Mother's Day type memory. Other poetry this issue is "A Hand Up," "A Visit By The Garden God," "Although The Moon Is Full," "Brooding," "Confession," "Crinoids," and "Hope."

To reiterate, thanks to Mike Craner, our webmaster, we also carry the ezine in a new 'blog' format at http://www.pencilstubs.net which allows comments again. We had to forego that priviledge here at http://www.pencilstubs.com because of spamming abuse. Pencil Stubs Online is also on FaceBook and you can become a fan by going to this url PSO on Facebook or click on it from the sidebar if you are at the blog version.

Looking forward to seeing you in July!