Ponderings by Dan Ponder

Today was the coolest day of the week.  That is not much to crow about as the temperature was in the low 90s.  The humidity managed to add a few degrees to the “feels like” temperature.  Nevertheless, the peak was less than the previous few days. There always seems to be good news and bad…

Fireworks are part of the 4th of July celebrations around this county.  In our own family, we have been shooting fireworks off the dock for a long time.  This year marks the 25th year that my youngest daughter, Elizabeth, has been my assistant in igniting the fuses for the display.   Today, at lunch, Elizabeth…

Most people called him “Big Dan”.   I called him “Daddy”.  He was twenty-four and a half years old when I was born, his first child. This past Sunday was the twenty-third time that I celebrated Father’s Day without him.  I do not know why this was one of the hardest. I have been married…

Following up on last week’s article, our family adventure continued for several more days before riding the fast train through the Chunnel from London to Paris.  We shipped our suitcases to Paris the night before so we could simply enjoy the experience of traveling by train, taking in the countryside, and even playing a game…

We boarded the plane with great anticipation.  The day had finally arrived to travel with our daughter, Catherine, son-in-law, Daaron, and our grandson, Henry, to London and Paris.  We had not reached our seats when our longtime friend, Pam Hines Brannon, came up to us.  Pam has been flying for Delta for as long as…

I remember my 13th birthday.  It was a big deal for a boy growing up in the rural south.  I was at last a teenager, whatever that meant.  It was that time when I bonded and struggled with my parents, my friends and sometimes with myself.  I remember one of the gifts my parents gave…

The only thing that compares to having all four of our grandchildren together at one time is having them visit individually.  This past year Mary Lou and I have been blessed to have that one-on-one time with each of our grands – Henry, Laura, Will and Andrew. This past weekend I traveled to Dothan to…

For 68 years, I have enjoyed the clear spring waters of Compass Lake.  In my early years, my brother and I would compete to see who had the darkest tan.  It was not hard because when we were not on the lake, we could often be found in the watermelon fields.  Shirts off.   There…

It was a long time coming.  Over 70 years, in fact.  Charles III, the longest reigning Prince of Wales ever, ended his long wait and was finally crowned King Charles III, the 62nd monarch of England and Britain.  This legacy goes back over twelve hundred years. Officially, his title is “Charles the Third, by the…

Some days are better than others.  Then, some days are so special that they defy description. Some days you will remember forever.  Some days are just the answer to prayer.  Perhaps that is the best description of all. Mary Lou and I are blessed to have two children.  We are equally blessed to have six…