March 6, 1966 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill, Kentucky. Well, maybe it would be better to say Holly County, Kentucky. We don’t have cows on Main Street, Hollyhill. At least not often. Of course, there is that big farm right behind Main Street. They must milk 100 cows. None that look like this one. Their cows are Holsteins. That …
Why I Hate February
February 1, 1966 Jocie Brook here reporting from Hollyhill, Kentucky. I’ll have to keep Dad from seeing that headline. He would sit me down and give me a long talk about hating any day. He’d tell me that every day was a gift from the Lord and one to be glad to face. He would say he learned how precious …
Happy Hollyhill New Year
January 1, 1967 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill on New Year’s Day. Can you believe it’s 1967? Sixty-seven!! I’m fifteen. Grown. Old enough to behave myself, Aunt Love says. Old enough to fall in love, Leigh says. Old enough to take a trip to Jupiter, Wes says. Old enough to understand a few things about life, Dad says. Tabitha …
Christmas Means Parades
December 3, 1966 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill. Wow! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I did a report. I guess it’s true that when you get in high school, you get really, really busy. Too busy, Aunt Love says. But I still do all the chores she has for me at home. That’s not as many …
A Country Jungle Gym
September 25, 1966 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill. Well, actually from Holly County. It’s Sunday and I’m spending the day out on Miss Sally’s farm. It’s great out here on the farm. Quiet. Nobody fussing about anything. Miss Sally said she needed to take a nap and I’d have to entertain myself. I think she just said that because …
Fireworks in Hollyhill
July 4, 1966 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill, Kentucky. It’s the 4th of July! That means time for parades and fireworks and picnics and sparklers. Sparklers is all the fireworks I actually get to play with. Those booming things aren’t legal in Kentucky and even if they were, Dad would never think we could afford them. It must be …
A Strangely Ordinary Sleuth Wannabe
June 6, 1966 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill, Kentucky. School got out last week. Yay!! But then Aunt Love just found lots for me to do. She has this thing about spring cleaning. So I’m having to give my room the annual clean to make Aunt Love happy. Leigh could care less. She cleans, but I think more to …
He Made Everything that was Made
April 19, 1966 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill, Kentucky. The dogwoods are blooming in Hollyhill. I wish you were here to see them, especially the ones Miss Sally has in her yard. She has a pink one and a white one side by side. She says she bought those and planted them, but she says the ones blooming out …
Jocie’s Very 1st Report from Hollyhill
Jocie Brooke here. Things are crazy busy at school right now. Teachers love giving tests, so I decided to do a rerun report here. It might give you a peek into that book about us here in Hollyhill, Scent of Lilacs. Somebody says you can read our story for a super low price right now. 99 cents or less for …
Where Did all this Valentine Stuff Begin
February 15, 1966 Jocie Brooke here reporting from Hollyhill, Kentucky. Do you like candy hearts? I do. They always say something even if it’s mostly silly stuff. Be Mine or Yes or Love U or Let’s Go. But you have to read them before you can eat them. I like Valentine’s Day too. I have ever since I started school …