Ashworth Alcove

Back in December I entered an essay contest. The prize - A 42 acre farm in Tennesssee. In my hometown, no less. The winner would be contacted on Christmas Eve. I went over the scenario in my head... What receiving that call on Christmas Eve would feel like. I longed for it. Unfortunately, per the contest rules, they did not receive enough entries. They refunded the entry fees and now I'm left with this non-winning essay. This was the first essay I had written in a few years. It was a challenging one, because the stakes were high. Nothing came of it, but even so, I am glad I took the time to write it. Fun fact: Contest rules stated there was 500 word maximum. My word count? 500. Nurturing the Flame     Every individual has something special that brings him or her joy. It is a flame within us. It is heart-warming and nourishes our soul. My flame is Tennessee. I have a yearning that is quenched only by the simple wonderments of a country life there. As a child ...

This post was started in November, so now it's more like 2.65 or something. You weigh 33 lbs and stand 38" tall. You're in 3T-4T clothing and size 8 shoe.  You are completely potty-trained. Honestly, the process was easy as pie. You know all the colors, can sing the full ABC's, and count to 20, though you often skip 10. You can point out all the shapes, even a hexagon. You can also identify your numbers. You go to school three days a week. Your teachers tell me you have two good friends there, Aubrey and Emma. Aside from those two, you spend more time interacting with the adults than the other children. Fox goes with you every day. When I pick you up and ask what you did that day you always say, "I pwayed wif my fwiends!" You love school buses and get very excited when we see one. We always look for them while in the car. You also like to tell me where to go while driving. You'll point and say, "Dis way!" You have full co...