A Pineywoods Manifesto

Folks are enjoying many ways to enjoy the Creek:   AUDIO: You’ll enjoy stories  as you drive or work at the  Creekbank Audio Podcast.   VIDEO:  Visit our YouTube Channel to join Curt on the Old House porch as he shares stories weekly. FACEBOOK: Follow us at The Creek Facebook Page. Become a Facebook Follower and keep up with news from The …

    “Chicken Snakes, Two Sisters, and ‘Falling-Outs.’”   I was told this story years ago. It’s still one of my favorites. Two brothers were excellent carpenters and built houses together throughout the hill country near Fredericksburg, Texas.  But one day, they had a falling-out, and the result was that they stopped speaking to each other. Despite that, they continued …

  Visit our Creekbank YouTube Channel to view Curt reading “Outdoor Life.” Listen to an Audio Podcast of “Outdoor Life.”   Outdoor Living: Where is Your Prayer Tree? Years ago, I visited two of my sweetest friends, Phil and Trelvis Thomas. They lived north of Leesville on Mrs. Trelvis’ family homestead. After coffee, Mrs. Trelvis led me to a nearby …

  Curt’s rendition of “The Seed Tree” can be seen on our Creekbank YouTube channel. Our audio Podcast is also available at Spotify. The Seed Tree I’ve been studying this majestic Loblolly pine for over thirty years. It’s located along LA Hwy 113 after you cross the Calcasieu River and enter Louisiana’s No Man’s Land. It caught my eye because it …

  Friends, We’re excited about sharing stories from our “soundstage” on the Old House porch in Dry Creek. Our YouTube Channel episodes come straight from my rocking chair, featuring stories with the crows and mockingbirds in the background. The  Creekbank Podcast shares our stories in an audio format. You’ll enjoy listening to these stories as read by the author (me). …

What is “Courage under Fire?” Most people run away from trouble, while others run toward it: David: ”This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us!” ”As Goliath moved closer to attack, David quickly ran out to meet him.“ * What is it in a man that causes some to run away, while others face it head …

    Resolve This week I’m thinking about the word “Resolve “ and its double first cousins, Grit, Determination and Perseverance. “Resolve: to act with determination, boldness, steadfastness, and faith.” Resolve: it’s a good word to have in our toolbox.

Today is January 8, 2024 It’s the 8th of January and not just any ordinary day. Here’s why: “The Eighth of January” is a fast-paced fiddle song dating back to the Nineteenth century. My great-grandmother, Theodosia Iles, was the Beauregard Parish Fair fiddle champion for most of her adult life, and she owned “The 8th of January.”  Years later, one …

The Red Cedars at The Old House January 1, 2024 This red cedar coaster has a remarkable story.  It comes from the limb of one of the majestic cedar trees in the front yard of The Old House. When a pecan tree recently crashed on The Old House roof, the cedar’s limbs limited the damage. The coaster you hold came …

    The Best Trade: A Christmas Tree for a Basket of Jelly This story from my first book, Stories from the Creekbank, is still a favorite of readers of all ages. I hope you enjoy it. Merry Christmas to all of my friends. -Curt Christmas jelly is probably my favorite holiday gift. Yearly, I receive this present from a …

The Deer Hunter Tuesday, December 12, 2023 There are some people you fall in love with the first time you meet them. That was true of Chet, and it was also true of Michael. I first met Chet in early November when he approached a breakfast table of men. It was the first week of deer season. One of the …

  Straight Out Of Yale   As I’ve followed the brouhaha around the presidents of Harvard, Penn, and M.I.T., I’m reminded of one of my favorite stories: A young man from a smaller church felt called to preach and entered Yale’s Divinity School. After one year at Yale, he triumphantly returned home and was invited to preach at his home …

  A Bald-Faced Liar “He’d rather climb a tree to tell a lie rather than stand on the ground and tell the truth.”   Where I come from, calling someone a bald-faced liar are fighting words. What’s the difference between a lie and a bald-faced lie? A lie is telling untruth. It’s wrong. It’s a sin. “Do not swear false …

    Friends and Readers, We’re putting the final touches on our upcoming novel, Where We All Belong. Don’t give up on us. There are many moving parts in getting a book into your hands. I really believe the final product will be worth the wait. Remember, it takes a village to raise a book and you’re a part of …