by Diane Holmes

Within you, I’m sure you have a good story to tell. You’ve probably heard this dozens of times. I know I have heard it often. But you wonder – where do I start. Just look around you, and I’m sure a story comes to mind.

This story popped in my mind, as I glanced around the living room. I have a favorite picture hanging above the fireplace. The old farm house picture brings back many fond memories of when I lived in it while I grew up on that farm. The picture was taken many years before the automobile was the popular means of transportation and before farm machinery was powered by anything but horses. Please note the hitching post in the foreground. People traveled by horse and buggy and had a place to tie up their horses.

 The road in front of the hitching post (not visible in the photo) was flat and graveled. Many years in the winter when snow blizzards blew across the land, we were blocked in. With a lot of shoveling we were able to get the horses and buggy moving again. Later years snowplows came on the scene, and we clapped as they plowed us out. Finally, when I was approaching high school age, the county upgraded the road and blacktopped it. The upgrading made deep ditches that caught the snow during the winter blizzards and saved the road from being blocked. Occasionally, a big drift accumulated in our driveway and had to be scooped or plowed out, but that happened less frequently.

Back then we didn’t have weather forecasts like we do now. But did have enough news to know when a bad winter storm was coming our way. I remember my Dad coming with horses and wagon to get us kids from school at the start of a blowing snow storm. He wanted to get us home safe and sound before we were blocked in at school.

As we drive past our house today, believe it or not from the outside it looks much like it did when we lived in it – very few changes. I can still see the outside of my room upstairs.

I can’t believe I wrote this much just by glancing at the picture. So come on you would-be writers and get started.

I walked into the dining room and another story came to mind. There on the dinner table is this beautiful hand crocheted table cloth done by my husband’s aunt, Cora. She crocheted little circular pieces, and then crocheted them together into a lovely 67” by 52” covering for the table. This perfect piece of art has not a flaw in it. My story goes on.

Cora entered her project in the county fair and received the highest ribbon available in the category. Her table cloth was selected for the state fair. She entered it and again received the highest award and chosen to go to the world’s fair in Chicago. Cora did not send it there because she thought it might get lost or stolen. I cherish this very special piece of hand crocheted work and love telling the story behind it.

I found something else about which to write while yet in the dining room. In the center of the beautiful table cloth I set this special desert glass or purple glass compote.

Here is another story. My husband was stationed at the Marine Corps Base at 29 Palms, CA for a couple of years. When he got orders to his next duty station the wives of the officers of the Communication & Electronics School he commanded presented me with the desert/purple glass compote. It gets its name from the high lead content in it. When in the heat of the sun and the hot desert temperatures the glass turns a light purple color. I longed for a piece of this type of glass to take with me as a remembrance from the desert.  I opened the gift, and my eyes filled with tears. I received something I wanted, and I knew I would cherish.

See how easy a story can be put together by taking a few steps in the house. I walked from living room to dining room and found three objects for stories. There are so many other things to write about. How about a different type family vacation? Did you run out of gas while on your trip? Add some spice to your story so readers will keep turning the pages. As a kid, did you play a sport where you received an award you could share with readers. What about Thanksgiving and Christmas? Did you take items to your county fair and win ribbons? Think hard or just look around you. I’m sure you can come up with a good story readers want to read.

You do not have to start on a long novel or memoir. Try blogging; start with small, short stories, and from them maybe an idea will pop in your head. Who knows, from starting with short, interesting writings you may end up blogging monthly or writing a book. Why not give it a try?

Diane Holmes is a wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother and Iowa author who enjoys writing in her retirement. Her first novel, Two Sisters’ Secret, a historical fiction story about the immigration experience in Iowa and based on Grandma Bernadine’s life, was published and released in May of 2020. Diane works now on another story, a memoir, and just recently started blogging.

Diane was born on a farm in Iowa, attended schools in that area then studied at the American Institute American of Business (AIB) in Des Moines, Iowa. After having roots in the ground for many years, she married Lyell, a career Marine Corps Officer who flew helicopters and fighter jets, and made their home in many states, going from duty station to duty station, They raised two daughters and a son, all of whom they are very proud.

Diane and her husband returned to their roots in Iowa and now live near Des Moines. They enjoy special times with their daughter, son, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, five grandsons and two granddaughters – all living throughout the US. They cherished the time they had with their daughter, an angel looking down on them now from heaven.