This week we welcome Jessica Nelson to Author Memories.
Jessica Nelson, in keeping with her romantic inclinations, married two days after she graduated high school. When Jessica is not chasing her three beautiful, wild little boys around the living room, she can be found staring into space as she plots her next story. Or she might be daydreaming about a raspberry mocha from Starbucks. Or thinking about what kind of chocolate she should have for dinner that night. Whatever she's thinking, one thing is for certain, she is blessed with a wonderful family and a lovely life.
Singing in a Silo
by Jessica Nelson
by Jessica Nelson
Singing in a silo is sound and beauty and echoes enveloping you in a heady, swirling rush.
When I was a young girl, maybe ten, my sisters and I visited our grandma in Iowa every summer. Grandma Charlene lived in what felt like the country. Now that I’m an adult I’ve discovered she was but a few miles from the nearest town, but as a child familiar only with the closed-off skies of the south, it felt like Grandma’s farm had been plunked down in the middle of nowhere, on the edge of a dirt road, surrounded by corn fields I couldn’t see across and a sky that never seemed to end.
No neighbors to play with, only sisters on a farm.
During those summers, I remember wild days of doing whatever we wanted. Grandma had stacks of books from her book club lined against the wall: I was in heaven. Big, round metal things served as our horses. To this day I have no clue what they were, but we rode like the wind when we were on them. Then there were the cats. Shy creatures we could never quite catch. Lightning bugs teased us in the night. Those were easier.
And then the silo.
When I was a young girl, maybe ten, my sisters and I visited our grandma in Iowa every summer. Grandma Charlene lived in what felt like the country. Now that I’m an adult I’ve discovered she was but a few miles from the nearest town, but as a child familiar only with the closed-off skies of the south, it felt like Grandma’s farm had been plunked down in the middle of nowhere, on the edge of a dirt road, surrounded by corn fields I couldn’t see across and a sky that never seemed to end.
No neighbors to play with, only sisters on a farm.
During those summers, I remember wild days of doing whatever we wanted. Grandma had stacks of books from her book club lined against the wall: I was in heaven. Big, round metal things served as our horses. To this day I have no clue what they were, but we rode like the wind when we were on them. Then there were the cats. Shy creatures we could never quite catch. Lightning bugs teased us in the night. Those were easier.
And then the silo.
This looks similar to Grandma’s Iowa silo but I think hers was connected to a barn of some sort and there were less trees, more corn.
A mysterious and smelly place in which we discovered the wonderful treasure of our voices uniting together, like paint strokes, harmonious and free. It was an old one, no longer used, we thought. Pigeons roosted at the top and left their droppings at the bottom, a place we rarely ventured. Instead we poked our heads through the opening and let loose.
We sang hymns like Amazing Grace and On Eagle’s Wings. We sang about going down by the bay and seeing a bear combing his hair. Whatever came to mind, we sang. Alto or soprano, in tune or not, it didn’t matter. In that joyous cadence of melody, we belonged together.
The memory makes me smile.
Three sisters in a silo, young and carefree. Happy.
The memory makes me smile.
Three sisters in a silo, young and carefree. Happy.
(L to R) Josie, Jenni and Jessie on our first day of school. Yes, it was the eighties, hence our stylish jumpsuits.
Those were long ago days and I don’t know if those little girls still exist. I hope somewhere deep in our hearts, they live on. I’m not sure if that silo still stands, but the farm still still stands and so does Grandma. She visited lately and I couldn’t believe how young she looked.
Maybe Grandma has been singing in the silo too. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Maybe Grandma has been singing in the silo too. I wouldn’t be surprised.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Mar 18th
to be entered in a draw for a copy of
Jessica Nelson's debut release, Love on the Range
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GIVEAWAY!
Leave a comment with a valid email address by midnight, Mar 18th
to be entered in a draw for a copy of
Jessica Nelson's debut release, Love on the Range
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Love on the Range, Love Inspired Historical, Apr 2012
Available now at www.harlequin.com, pre-order at www.amazon.com
Available now at www.harlequin.com, pre-order at www.amazon.com
Any other socialite would view being packed off to a remote Oregon ranch as a punishment. But Gracelyn Riley knows that this is her opportunity to become a real reporter. If she can make her name through an interview with the elusive hero known as Striker, then she'll never have to depend on anyone ever again.
Rancher Trevor Cruz can't believe his secret identity is being endangered by an overly chatty city girl. But if there's one thing he knows, it's that Gracie's pretty little snooping nose is bound to get her in trouble. So he'll use her determination to find "Striker" to keep an eye on her…and stick close by her side.
Read Excerpt
Rancher Trevor Cruz can't believe his secret identity is being endangered by an overly chatty city girl. But if there's one thing he knows, it's that Gracie's pretty little snooping nose is bound to get her in trouble. So he'll use her determination to find "Striker" to keep an eye on her…and stick close by her side.
Read Excerpt
You can find Jessica online at:
her website: http://www.jessicanelson.net/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaNelson
her website: http://www.jessicanelson.net/
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaNelson
