Texas Blue Bonnet Quilt

For about a year now, the ladies in our churches sewing group have been working on a quilt to auction off to raise money for Fort Scott Christian Heights School here in Fort Scott, Ks. It is finally finished and just in time for our yearly Country Store. I may have contributed a stitch or two, but I usually concentrate on embroidering tea towels to sell in our booth at the Country Store.
I should have taken a photo of the "signature block" on the back of the quilt as this was my own creation. The little signature block is similar to the one on the quilt. I'll share how much money it bought at auction this Saturday, May 2nd.

A Letter in the Mail

A Letter in the Mail

Do you remember, before the advent of computers, and cell phones, with their instant methods of communication, the excitement you felt whenever a letter came to your mailbox? Besides the telephone, which was regulated to local calls only, the daily mail was eagerly anticipated.
Now, I’m not talking about periodicals or seed catalogs, although each of those had their ranking, but a newsy letter from a close friend or family member far away? How special did you feel when a letter had your own name on it? Why, you were on top of the world! You eagerly tore open the letter and retreated to a quiet spot to consume it’s contents. Afterward, this letter was put in a special place to be re-read later for a special pick-me-up that usually rejuvenated your whole being.
Today’s form of instant communication, with it’s accompanying instant disposal, leaves a sour taste in one’s mouth. Letters are no longer received in the mail to be bundled together after being enjoyed, tied with a pretty ribbon, and put in an old trunk to be opened and read again on a rainy day. Rather we rely on the computer and/or cell phone to leave quick messages that after wards are lost in cyberspace forever.
Sometimes the older ways turn out to be the best after all.

Kathleen Durbin May 11, 2006

A Story About Spring

A Story About Spring

I was lying dormant in the ground, unaware of the bitter cold around me. My life force had retreated to it’s smallest capacity to survive the winter months.

Starting in the fall, I had soaked up the sun’s golden rays and I had absorbed all life giving nutrients from the soil to become larger and more healthy in order to endure the bitter weather .

Soon, I could feel stirrings within my central being. I started to feel a small breath of warmth around me. I knew that soon I would swell with life and burst forth from my winter prison. Days passed, and slowly the warmth spread throughout my being. I could wait no longer. I knew the earth worms had started their work of turning the soil making it soft and easy to traverse.
I could feel the sun growing stronger with each passing day.

Now, the time was at hand. I grew even larger and a central stem pushed forth from my bulb into the warm soil, and soon I was reaching toward the sunlight and warm breezes.

I burst from the soil with gay abandon. The sun warmed me daily and the gentle rains nourished my whole being. Cells divided and grew into leaves, and soon my blossom came forth from an unlikely green stem. I was whole and radiant with my lovely blossom and sweet scent. I was joined by others of my kind until we had spread a colorful carpet of blooms and filled the air with our pleasing fragrance.

Who am I? My name is Daffodil and I am perfect in the sight of my Creator.



Kathleen Durbin
© March 2006

A Mother’s Kiss

I wrote this one time while my mother was still alive and I returned home to another state, still with the memory of her kisses.
A Mother’s Kiss

A Mother’s soft, sweet kiss is first felt when we are newborn babes. These kisses
continue to be bestowed on us throughout our lives. There are always plenty to share
with others in our family.
When we are infants, we delight in her kisses of affection..
As toddlers we are too busy exploring our world to have much time to accept these kisses.
Then we are school age and are just tolerant of her attempts to cuddle and give us kisses.
As we become teenagers, too many times we feel ourselves too worldly to receive
these displays of affection. Then we are young adults & have moved away from home
and her kisses are too few and far between because of distance. We may grow up and
have children of our own and then we are the ones bestowing kisses on an ever
changing young person. All too soon our Mother depends on us to give our kisses to
her. She may be far away and in a nursing home and she clings to us when we visit,
stealing kisses to cherish when we are gone. The cycle is complete. We leave her,
tasting her soft, sweet kisses for the remainder of the day. If we are lucky, we keep a
special place in our heart filled with kisses to bestow on her when we next see her.
A Mother’s soft, sweet kiss: a memory to cherish always.


© Kathleen Durbin September 2000

Dedicated to my mother: Pauline Wordehoff

Rock Climbing

(Photo of Kelly Cudworth climber)

Holding on by Your Fingertips

As I watched a video on rock climbing with just one’s fingertips, I was inspired to relate this activity to life in general. This event took place in the desert with friends who had similar goals.

I noticed determination coming from within the climbers, but also a strength and relentless pursuit of their goal which was to attain the top of the boulder using nothing more than their hands, feet and fingertips and their own inner strength.

There was a quietness to this activity, although the silence was interspersed with calls of encouragement from others. No opposition was noticed, but always support for each small goal attained and applause for the end goal attained.

Life should be this way. We should have a purpose and a fierce determination to attain our objective. We need friends and their encouragement to help along the way.

Sometimes in life we are just holding on by our fingertips, and may fall back, but if we pick ourselves up and attack the problem with renewed vigor and encouragement from our friends, we can attain our goals and feel jubilant with our success.

© Kathleen Durbin
March 23, 2007

Good bye Friend

This is regarding the loss of a fellow writer and former co-worker.

Good bye Friend

We said good-by to a friend today. The songs were played, prayers were said, memories were shared and the service ended.

It is not as simple as all that, for her memory lives on in my head. I shall take this recollection and tuck it away in a secure place. From time to time I will take these treasured memories out and examine them and be comforted by them.

Sometimes it will not be purposeful, but there will be instances when memories spring unbidden to the forefront of my consciousness. In the beginning I will be startled by them, but as time passes, and I grow accustomed to their presence, I will acknowledge their company and smile at this reflection. My heart will be warmed by happy memories of times gone by and I shall treasure each moment I recall.

Memories sustain us throughout our lives and I’m glad to have pleasant and comforting memories of my friend. To be sure, there were enough sad times, but I will let these disappear and only hold on to the good ones. Good memories that will complete my consciousness. For this is the way it was meant to be.

© Kathleen Durbin

Just Last Month

I was still hurting from the loss of my husband and eight days later wrote this selection:

Just Last Month

Just last month we spent time together,

Just last month we said “I love you” to each other,

Just last month we had hope,

Just last month we could smile.


Now this month, our time spent together is in my mind,

Now this month, you are quiet while I profess my love,

Now this month, I know that hope has left,

Now this month, I only cry.


Perhaps tomorrow I can remember the time we spent together,

Perhaps tomorrow, I can say “I love you” without crying,

Perhaps tomorrow I will know that there IS hope,

Perhaps tomorrow I will smile again.


©Kathleen Durbin June 24, 2007

My Breaking Heart

I'm going to get this posted and out of the way. It brings heartache once again to me. I wrote it when my husband was dying of cancer. I couldn't believe this was happening, but I was aware of the diagnosis. Eleven days later, his time on this earth came to an end. Oh, how I cried!

My Breaking Heart

My love is leaving me
and I can not follow.

My love is leaving this world
and I shall remain behind.

My love is leaving
and my heart is breaking.


My love moves forward to another place,
but my time is not yet.

I wear his ring upon my finger,
an ever present reminder of our life.

My love is leaving this world,
and I shall remember him always.

My tears remain ever present
ready to fall with each passing minute.

My heart aches and is breaking
but he will wait for me,
and we will be together once more.

In time, in time…


© Kathleen Durbin
June 5, 2007

Staying Motivated

I wrote this once trying to encourage someone who needed it. As I read it today, I think this could be appropriate for each day and not only for special days.

Staying Motivated

It’s hard to stay motivated when we are sick. It seems like such a struggle just
to get through our day, let alone to be active and responsible, too. Do one step
at a time. Do your exercises anyway. Perhaps you don't feel like doing them,
and you don't have to do them with vim and vigor, but get through them and
you will feel like you have accomplished something. And perhaps you don't
have to do such a complex set of exercises...maybe just a shortened version.
A smaller set of exercises won't be as tiring and demanding and will let you
feel somewhat victorious at having completed something. Maybe, we need to
have a plan for when we're not well and down in the dumps. Maybe we need
a shorter exercise plan, and something that is not so demanding of ourselves.
Do this set of shorter exercises and reward yourself with some down time
with your book or watching a favorite TV program. Give it a try.

© Kathleen Durbin