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3 days ago
3 min

Family History Reveals Conditions of Great Depression

Reading someone else's family history, especially when you are not remotely acquainted with that family and its various members, can be...

Dennis L. Peterson

Apr 9
4 min

How Writing Is Like Building Model Kits

Like many other boys of my generation, I enjoyed building models as I was growing up. At first, it didn't matter what the kits were,...

Dennis L. Peterson

Apr 2
3 min

Where's That Blog Post?!

If you're a follower of this blog, you've come to expect a new post every Friday. You also no doubt noticed that this past week that post...

A Historical Witness Protection and Preservation Program

Dennis L. Peterson

Mar 19
3 min

A Historical Witness Protection and Preservation Program

In the study and writing of history of any sort, there is no substitute for an eyewitness. Granted, eyewitness accounts of any event...

Dennis L. Peterson

Mar 12
3 min

Productive Inactivity

Many people think of it as a waste of time, as doing nothing productive. They prefer to engage in constant motion, in endless action and...

Dennis L. Peterson

Mar 5
2 min

Those "Sweet" Sweetgum Balls

The same problem confronts me every spring just before the mowing season begins: sweetgum balls, thousands, maybe even millions of them,...

The Memory's "Ears": Do You Hear What I Hear?

Dennis L. Peterson

Feb 26
3 min

The Memory's "Ears": Do You Hear What I Hear?

A good writer must cultivate acute observational skills, and that not only of the eyes, although that certainly is important, but also of...

Dennis L. Peterson

Feb 19
3 min

Seeing One's Parents as Children

Rummaging through stored boxes in search of something can be time consuming, especially when one gets sidetracked along the way to...

Dennis L. Peterson

Feb 12
1 min

For More Information. . . .

For readers of this blog who are interested in learning more about the Travelers Rest Historical Society and the Spring Park Inn...

Lost and Found: A World War I Soldier's Prayer

Dennis L. Peterson

Feb 12
2 min

Lost and Found: A World War I Soldier's Prayer

It seems that the most interesting discoveries are made when and where you least expect them. When Nell Gibson passed away a few months...

Dennis L. Peterson

Feb 5
4 min

Dr. Reid Says, "Open Wide!"

Some of my grandchildren made their first trip to the dentist .the other day Their experience made me recall my own similar experiences...

Dennis L. Peterson

Jan 29
6 min

Remembering Poppa and Momma Graybeal

A newspaper article characterized Harvey Dolphus Graybeal as "one of North Knox County's most colorful old-timers." I knew him as Poppa,...

Dennis L. Peterson

Jan 22
4 min

Making Military History Personal

As a teacher, I always insisted to my students that the study of history was about much more than dates and elections and battles; it is...

Dennis L. Peterson

Jan 15
4 min

Flannery O'Connor on Writing

Although I do not read much fiction and write even less of it, I am interested in learning what has made certain famous writers (even...

Dennis L. Peterson

Jan 8
3 min

Playing Devil's Advocate

In last week's blog post (see https://www.dennislpeterson.com/post/new-year-slower-pace), I discussed the benefits of "slow writing."...

Dennis L. Peterson

Jan 7
1 min

Featured on Southern Writers Magazine's Suite T!

I'm so excited to be a guest today @SouthrnWritrMag. Read about lessons I learned from doing genealogical research for my book "A Goodly...

Dennis L. Peterson

Jan 1
4 min

New Year, Slower Pace

It's hard to fathom the fact that another year is behind us and a new year is before us. It's a blank slate, clean, unsullied, unmarred....

Dennis L. Peterson

Dec 25, 2020
3 min

Memorable Christmases

On this day, Christmas Day 2020, my mind has been reviewing Christmases past, from my childhood through adulthood and into...

Dennis L. Peterson

Dec 18, 2020
3 min

Go for the Goal!

It's that time of year again. It's time to reassess and evaluate the goals we set for ourselves at the first of the year and to set goals...

Dennis L. Peterson

Dec 11, 2020
3 min

So Suddenly!

I lost a dear friend and neighbor over the Thanksgiving holidays. Rob and I had talked just the week before, making arrangements for him...

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