"Christiansen comments" Hinds County Gazette January 19 2012

My life is grand…Oh, there have been up and downs…peaks and valleys…but all things considered it has been good. Why I bring this up, is lately, I have been giving life “The Big Think”…as a result of this “Big Think” I have come to believe that there are two sweet spots in this life…one was my childhood.

This picture did not end up where I wanted it to...
This is down town Bolton Mississippi...

I grew up in a small town on the Nebraska plains…where we even at the age 5 and 6 we could roam the entire town….We were never bored because we had places to go and things to do… And our mothers turned us loose with no fear because the whole town watched after us. If we went to misbehaving, even mildly misbehaving, seemingly out of no where an adult would appear and tend to us…the ladies were usually wearing an apron….The men who stopped to inquiry about our activities, they might be wearing a suit and tie, more often overalls, or coveralls. Farmers hauling a full load of grain, on the way to the elevator, or a load of cattle to the stock yard, would stop and get out, to find out what we were up to…we could have pocket knives, BB guns, our homemade sling shots and bows and arrows…but you better not get caught with matches, cigarettes….or any liquid that resembled gasoline.

House I grew up in..back then the front porch was not enclosed

Main Street Palisade

Palisade from North of town

As a kid growing in Palisade Nebraska, my days were my own; there were not many demands on my time. Back then, we didn’t have soccer, dance classes etc. that we had to deal with and make plans around. Oh, once in a while somebody would have to break off, go home and get cleaned up, so they could go to their piano lesson. But life as a kid for me, was relatively uncomplicated, as long I respected my elders, behaved at school and church, and was home for dinner and supper on time,.



After childhood came 40 years that I had to be grown up, be responsible and productive, I am not complaining and those 40 years were good, and I enjoyed them.



But I am coming to realize my old age is not unlike my childhood… when I wake up in the morning…..most days are my own… I can choose what I want to do….. Make concrete leaves; hang out in my shop, play with my friends or just putter. Nobody is depending on me.



My little buddy Whit, he is 18 months old now, I am 67,   I am coming to realize he and I are not at unlike stages of life, just at opposite ends of it. My old age and Whit's childhood are alike in many ways….As long as, we don’t make a lot of noise;  behave and do not do anything dangerous. The adults of this world…. pretty much leave us alone to do what we please.

Love to all

Call if you need me

PS. My friend Alan Huffman has a new book coming out soon….The title is We're with Nobody: , The Web page for the new book is  http://www.werewithnobody.com/

Alan lives in “The Greater Bolton area, where the grass is green, the sky is blue and the water is brown”….that is what James Anderson always says about Bolton…I couldn’t help myself. But any way Alan will be in Jackson at Lemuria February 21 signing copies…he will be other places too…. Oxford, New York City, Greenwood



But if you miss those events… buy the book…I feel sure we can get it signed for you….perhaps we can arrange to have a signing off the tailgate of his pickup right down town Bolton Mississippi…”Where the grass is green, the sky is blue and the water is brown.” Again sorry I just can not help my self….anytime I say “Bolton” I have to say, “Where the grass is green, the sky is blue and the water is brown.” Sorry………



Oh!!!! There is a video trailer for the book…I am in it!!!! I am expecting Hollywood to call anytime now.

Christiansen's Comments from Hinds County Gazette Published January 12 2012

Good Morning and Happy new year!

This morning as I write from my home, here at the South end of Main Street, downtown Edwards, Mississippi, it is foggy and a light drizzle is steady coming down. For several days, here in Mid Mississippi, it has been incredibly mild. This morning while I ate my breakfast at the kitchen table, the back door was wide open….the sounds of a steady drizzle and birds noisily waking up, came through the open door to my ears delight.



The weather of late has been spring like, highs in the 60s approaching 70….I take that back, it is not Spring like…the recent days have been much prettier then spring.



Winter is not my favorite; the days are short, often depressing, grey, dreary and cold. But I come to appreciate, the clear, sun filled days of winter, the sun’s light is coming from a low southern angle, which makes the shadows long and spectacular…the strong winter sun light makes the woods sparkle…the world sparkles. The clear, sunny days of winter, to me are the prettiest days of the entire year…they are magnificent. Winter’s sunlight is exquisite; it is so intense….rather piercing at times, I feel like it could be going straight through me.





The answer to “why aren’t you writing?” first of all, I have come to realize in my old age, that I can not do as much in a day as I once could.....during the holidays there are so many things to do…there is cooking, the decorating and lots and lots of fun events and parties!



Second, my stride was broke by a minor medical predicament. The medical thing was minor for sure…but the treatment was major in my book….It required stitches was quite painful……so I lost several days to recouping…bed bound…not because the doctor ordered me to be in bed…but bed is the safest place for old people on medication…we do not need to be up wobbling around…risking turning a minor medical event, into a major medical catastrophe.



I was quite whiny during my recovery…..then Charles Davis reminded me what the definition of minor surgery is, “Surgery that is happening to someone else.” Charles made me feel much less guilty about my whining.

Love to all, see you next week

Call if you need me