Good Conversation

I have neglected my three blogs recently, 

and to all my readers,

I apologize. 

My friend, Ginny, 

told me this week she 

read all my old posts again, 

and I felt bad. 

So here I am for a few minutes.

I have worked long and hard to
finish JOAB, finale in
The Faithful Sons Trilogy.
We're ready for publication,
JOAB and I.

And now, it's coming on Christmas.

I decorated the tree on the eve of Thanksgiving after spending some quality time in Memphis with my son, Peter, then down to New Albany where I stayed at the lovely Rosecrest for over a week. I love it there. So serene. A great place to take a walk in the woods, wading through the yellow and red and shades of brown leaves that had relinquished their hold on the limbs and made their beds on the damp and cool ground. And with Dewey, a walk through Dr. Shands old homeplace, reeking with beauty and antiques, even a wonderful old Chickering baby grand that needs a tender touch from time to time.

 

And with Mike and Gloria, a day at Holly Springs, where we went back to Civil War days. We did the outside tour of every old antebellum home— Airliewood, where Grant winter-quartered in November and December of 1862, the stunning old house where he laid his best plans for the siege of Vicksburg in spring of '63. Walter Place, where Julia Grant and their son stayed while Grant "worked."

Dewey looks right at home 
against the massive columns of Walter Place.

The fence surrounding Airliewood is outstanding.
Emblem of strength and protection.

Mike and Gloria and Dewey.

Airliewood Grounds.The beautiful yellow leaves of the  
ginkgo trees clinging to the limbs.
The leaves have no stems.
Awesome!

The Courthouse on the Square in Holly Springs. 
Such a grand old building.

I'd like to tell you more about Holly Springs

when we have more time.

While writing JOAB, I did research on this little

town Grant loved. You might be appalled

at the things I found. I will leave that to your

imagination and hope that you read my new book when it comes out.

I think you'll love it!

More about that real soon.

Good night, my friends!

It's near mid-night 

in Trinity, FLA USA

Jane Bennett Gaddy, Ph.D.