Our Books

A Memorable Man: Uncle Buddy

A word from Curt This week I’m Camp Missionary at Dry Creek Baptist Camp.  The following story on Buddy Woods and Kenneth Trent reminds me of how important imparting a love of missions is. Enjoy. Uncle Buddy I’ve always loved missionaries. Those who serve God away from home have always been my heroes. I first began this love of missions …

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At the E.R.

We’re featuring Summer Camp stories from our first book, Stories from the Creekbank. Today’s chapter is a sober story from an unforgettable summer filled with joy and tragedy. At the E.R. Tuesday, July 20 The local emergency room is a place every camp manager dreads to go. Many times my perfect day is interrupted with a call on the radio, …

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Homesick!

We’re continuing our summer camp features.  Seth and Terry, two of the campers in this story, are now grown men. Seth is getting ready to hike and bike across Europe. Terry is moving to Boston. I surmise they’ll handle their homesickness. Seth’s Big Camp Day   Monday, July 5   There is no camp like R.A. Camp . . . …

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Red Touch Yellow

A Word from Curt Two words:  Summer Camp I’ve been at Summer Church Camp for the past two weeks.  There’s nothing like a week with preteeners to be reminded of the joys of life, camp, and much more. Next week (June 27)  I return to my home camp,  Dry Creek Baptist Camp, as Camp Pastor/Missionary. During the coming weeks, I’ll …

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May 10: Brad’s Birthday

Today, May 10th, is a special day.  It’s Brad Robinson’s birthday.  Brad would be 34 today if my calculations are correct. It’s shocking to realize that Brad’s been gone longer than he was alive. I think about him often and smile and weep and still miss him. I often think, especially on days like today, what Brad would be like …

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My Grandpas’ Boots: Upcoming Children’s Picture Book

A word from Curt           This story is taken from a chapter in As the Crow Flies and adapted for an illustrated children’s book.   Curt Iles/MY GRANDPAS’ BOOTS Copyright 2017 by Creekbank Stories and Curt Iles                                                           1 My name is Abe, and this is the story of my scuffed boots.  This pair of boots are …

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On Being “The Man”

Tall Pine

From the Curt Iles book,  Deep Roots.  www.creekbank.net  Readers are given permission to share this story as long as proper credit is given.   You’re the Man   I’d never heard of the Broken Wings Award until recently. I haven’t met helicopter pilot Edwin Steve Coleman, one of the few two-time winners of the award. I believe I’d like Chief …

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The Sweet Smell of Honeysuckle

                                                                A honeysuckle bouquet from Crooked Bayou Swamp   Honeysuckle time is when I always think of Mrs. Eleanor Andrews. Today is her birthday. Enjoy this story in her …

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The Crow and the Peacock

A Word from Curt This fun story features one of my favorite Dry Creekers, Uncle Joe Watson. Listen to an audio version of The Crow and the Peacock read by Curt. The Crow and the Peacock I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.”   As I write this, we are …

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April 6: It’s Whippoorwill Day

    It’s April 6. Whip-poor-will day. Let’s go to Dry Creek. Enjoy this reader favorite from our third short story collection, Wind in the Pines.     Whip-poor-will Day Hear that lonesome whip-poor-will, he sounds too blue to fly. It seems he’s lost the will to live, I’m so lonesome I could cry . . . -Hank Williams, Sr. …

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The Regret-Free Life: Sliding into Home

A Word from Curt     Baseball season opened this weekend. Our beloved Houston Astros were scheduled to begin play today in New York against the Yankees. Rained out. Baseball shouldn’t be played north of the Mason Dixon Line until May. As my son Clay said, “I’ve waited for six month for opening day. I guess I can wait one …

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The Road that Keeps My Feet on the Ground

  It’s my favorite road in the world. We call it the Longville Gravel Pit Road. Folks in Longville know it as the Dry Creek Road. It’s a rough eleven mile track that connects Highway 113 and US 171. There’s so many reasons why this road is special to me. Below are several:   It’s a wildlife road:   I …

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It’s Corporal Vidrine’s Birthday

Corporal Howard Vidrine When I came to work at Dry Creek as a thirteen-year-old, one of the first people I met was Howard Vidrine. He served as the camp night watchman during my early years at camp. “Bro. Vidrine,” as we called him, lived in the Evangeline Parish town of Reddell, which is next door to the unique village of …

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The Tomb is Still Empty

It’s amazing that my deepest image of Easter doesn’t come from a memorable sermon, movie, or a book. My Easter theology was shaped by a simple country woman married to a former Texas Ranger.  Her name was Lucille Mosley and she lived on Greentown Loop in Dry Creek. This is her story.     The Tomb is Still Empty From …

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