Author Archives: averyellk

Sunshine Days© Averyell A. Kessler After the tragic events of January 6, I considered not posting this week. Yesterday was not a sunshine day. On second thought, I decided to go ahead because it might give someone a smile. AAK Thankfully, a tough year is over. An abundance of useless chatter, anxiety, and old-fashioned fearContinue reading “Sunshine Days”

Tiny Scissors© Averyell A. Kessler They start with tiny scissors. They always do. Just a snip here, an erasure there, the elimination a questionable adjective or an unacceptable word not in sync with careful vanilla vocabulary. Once begun, there is more to come. Soon sewing shears emerge, then knives.  Censorship has been going on sinceContinue reading “My Pen My Opinion”

Listening to Miss Eudora© Averyell A. Kessler I wrote this last year after an unfortunate trip to a big box bookstore. For Christmas, I gave my granddaughter a compilation of Eudora Welty’s novels. She’s an avid reader and tore into the book as soon as she unwrapped it. The short stories, however, were not included.Continue reading “Listening to Miss Eudora”

Up on the Rooftop © Averyell Kessler New Year’s Eve was only a few days away, and my parents were going to be killed. I was sure it. To compound my worry, they were dressing up for the occasion. Daddy’s best suit was at Snow White Cleaners. Mama had unzipped a dress bag in theContinue reading “Up On The Rooftop”

Caught © Averyell A. Kessler Saturday Reprise There was no hint of sunlight when Mama and I climbed into WG’s new Lincoln Continental and settled in for the long drive ahead. We’d spent the night at an Alamo Plaza on the outskirts of Memphis so we could hit the road early and reach French LickContinue reading “Caught”

The Ugliest Tree in Town© Averyell A. Kessler My Mother had a custom of giving me a Christmas book every year. She always dated it and wrote an inscription on the inside cover. Towards the end of her life, she chose Hans Christian Anderson’s The Fir Tree. Here’s what she wrote. “This book proves myContinue reading “The Ugliest Tree In Town”

My friend, Johnny Morrow, has just issued JACKSON AND CARS, an interesting publication saluting the early auto dealers of Jackson. It’s filled with fascinating stories and a treasure trove of historic photographs. My family bought our Chevys from Dumas Milner. If you wanted a Pontiac you visited Paul Moak’s lot, and Toby Trowbridge for anContinue reading “Jackson and Cars”

The Reluctant Shopper© Averyell A. Kessler My grandfather WG hated shopping. To him, it was an unnecessary bore and waste of time. I don’t know how he managed to keep groceries in his diminutive kitchen, or refresh his supply of Dr. Tichenor’s, Pepsodent or Palmolive soap. He’d retained the same pair of work boots untilContinue reading “The Reluctant Shopper”

I joined the Delta Magazine website over a month ago when one of my posts appeared there. Wow! What a find. It showcases the wonderful work of talented Delta artists and photographers that should make every Mississippian proud. Delta Magazine is a public group on facebook. Take a look. You won’t be disappointed.

The Secret of Christmas© Averyell A. Kessler During a long-ago December, I lived in limbo as a halfway child. The best part of me was still a dedicated Santa Claus devotee, but as I edged toward double digit years, I began to doubt.  For weeks, I’d heard my Power School classmates dissecting Santa, some whisperingContinue reading “The Secret of Christmas”