Author Archives: patsypridgen

It’s become hip to hate on Walmart. People complain about long checkout lines and  messy stores. They ridicule the shoppers. There are plenty of Walmart jokes, many poking fun at overweight customers with curlers in their hair or those sporting low-slung, butt-revealing pants. I admit it: I … Continue reading →

My husband and I have declared our independence from at least one cable company. After years of griping about the ever rising cost plus poor customer service, we’ve finally cut the cord. We’ve canceled our TV! Take that, Spectrum! That’s a cable box … Continue reading →

As I write on this late Thursday afternoon, September 5, it’s begun to rain where I live in the coastal plains of eastern North Carolina, but there’s no significant wind yet. We’re not to be fooled, though, according to the weather … Continue reading →

It’s a place called Fishing Creek. The name fits since Grandson Charlie, age eight, loves to throw out a hook there. Recently, he caught a big bass in its rain-muddied waters on a late Sunday afternoon. Yeah, I know this picture is huge, … Continue reading →

I’ve been trying to put my finger on the source of my low-level anxiety this week, and I’ve figured it out. School’s starting back! The buses are rolling. It’s time to say good-bye to sweet summer. It’s been six years since … Continue reading →

Remember the North Carolina tourism slogan: Variety Vacationland? Our state reaches from the coast to the mountains. Something for everyone! Living in the eastern part of the state only two and a half hours from the Atlantic Ocean, my something … Continue reading →

It’s been called the delicacy of the South, and garden experts say it thrives in the scorching heat of humid summers. My husband would disagree that okra is a delicacy, but I can vouch for the fact that it does indeed flourish … Continue reading →

A person can travel far and wide but to see sheer geographical beauty and awesome sites, it’s hard to beat the good ol’ USA. I’ve just returned from a week-long swing through parts of South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Utah–with a corner of Iowa … Continue reading →

I love my backyard this June. With the recent rain and milder temps, the grass is green, the flowers are blooming, and the “garden” is growing. I enjoy the view as I sit on my back porch with my early morning coffee … Continue reading →

Cigars, classic cars, and mojitos? I went to Cuba expecting to find these, and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, I was quite impressed at the production I saw in an un-air-conditioned cigar factory where workers sat rolling cigars by hand. They worked with leaves of dried … Continue reading →