Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller

Listen to the podcast of  “A Father’s Love.”  “A Father’s Love” From the Curt Iles book, Wind in the Pines. The story below always gets two strong reactions when I tell it. First, laughter. That is a good thing. Secondly, many times this story brings tears. Last year, I told it at Delta Downs (in Vinton) to a group of …

Listen to an audio of Curt telling this story. The Sermon in the Hayfield   He was one of my heroes, and tomorrow would be his birthday. This is a story of what made him special.     Love is patient and kind. . .    I Corinthians 13:4 As far back as I can remember, I’ve been around Ed King.  …

                            Order your discounted copy here.                                    Special Offer:  No shipping through October! We believe in the message and stories of our new book, Trampled Grass.  During October, copies ordered here will …

Billy Ray He who wins souls is wise. -Proverbs 11:30 It’s a Southern thing, y’all. We like our double first names.  I’ve got my Aunt Margie Nell and my Aunt Lloydell. We all know Billy Bob, Jerry Jeff, and Peggy Sue. And then there’s Billy Ray. In the world of Dry Creek Camp, there will always only be one Billy Ray. We …

I’m a firm believer in having both a Life Song and Life Playlist. A Life Song is the song that captures your soul and always touches you when you hear it. My Life Song is “How Firm a Foundation.” The final verse is my favorite and I’ve leaned on it (and the Jesus it speaks of) for all of my …

  We’re excited about our newest book,  Trampled Grass. Rather than tell you about it, we’re sharing the best photos from the book and its forty short stories. Scroll down to read a reader favorite, “The Southern Gospel.”                         Eliza Iles, a Southern woman from Dry Creek, Louisiana, in …

  I. This week’s keyword is Legacy. It’s about investing in what matters. Paying attention to what (and who) will outlast us. II. Life Long Learning   I finished a fascinating book this week, Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance.  It’s a memoir of the problems the white working poor (aka hillbillies/rednecks/white trash) face.  More than that, it’s a love story of …

  DWW     Driving While White Like all Americans, I’ve been stunned and confused by events of the past few months. Our country is hurting and is extremely divided. It’s easy to deny and ignore it, but that doesn’t make it not so. As part of a national discussion, we need to sit down and listen to each other. It is …

I recalled this wonderful story while visiting with my uncle, Bill Iles, who has worn a long beard since the late 1960’s. This article, by Stuart Holbrook, was written in the mid-20th century. Palmer is buried near the present home of my son, Terry.  On my next trip to New England, I plan to visit Palmer’s grave.    

Max Earl Cole was buried several weeks ago. I was away and missed his funeral. Like me, he was a Dry Creek native, who attended East Beauregard High School. Max Earl was a lanky rawboned basketball player on the excellent Trojan basketball teams in the mid-60s. He was a product of two of Dry Creek’s strongest families,  The Coles and …

  What we’re about in 2016: 1.  Staying Curious. 2. Being Amazed. 3. Telling Stories. It’s Friday, which means it’s time to think about LLL. That’s Life Long Learning. It’s the reason I want to stay curious,discover, and share good stories. I. This week’s word is Gratitude. Here’s my favorite story on gratitude: Vance Gill, my guitar-playing Dry Creek friend …

A Word from Curt A daily goal: Stay Curious  Be Amazed. Tell Good Stories. Louisiana Rain “Rain, rain, Louisiana is your name.”   While making my rounds at the mill, an employee named Harley* enthusiastically stopped me. “Chaplain, do you remember praying with me to get a car?” Before I could reply, he continued, “My wife and I were riding …

The first real cool spell arrives tonight. It’s time to think about hunting. The following is the best deer hunting story I know. Read and enjoy. This story was told to me by fellow missionary, Bobby Lane (in photo with his son Shep in South Sudan).   The Deer Hunter   It’s by far and away the best deer-hunting story …

What I’m about in 2016: 1.  Staying Curious. 2. Being Amazed. 3. Telling Stories. Most Fridays, we’ll be sending out this brief story letter with a simple purpose:  pushing all of us to be a LLL. That’s Life Long Learner. I’m 60 and have never been more excited about learning new things. To hold myself accountable (and encourage you), I’ll be sharing …