Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller

“Jessica” Allman Brothers’ guitarist Dickie Betts died last week at 80. His songs, especially ‘Jessica,” have always been my favorite ABB cuts, and he will forever hold a special place in my heart. I’ve listened to the Allman’s since 1972 and still circle back to them several times a year. “Jessica” is an instrumental written for his baby daughter Jessica. …

“Help Needed On Aisle Three”   “Son, there’s only one thing you need to know if you’re going to marry my daughter . . . ” My cousin Mark Roy died suddenly last week.  I am saddened by Mark’s death and am praying for Debbie, their three daughters, and Mark’s mom, Aunt Florence Roy. If there’s one word to describe …

    Bro. Hodges’ Best Sermon The preacher stood in the middle of the muddy red clay road, staring at the problem straight ahead.   It was a long way from his pulpit, so he had no idea he would preach “his best sermon” right here in a few minutes. This preacher standing in the middle of the road was Kenneth …

She smiled at me, and I was changed. Thursday, April 18, 2024    Atrium Oschner’s Hospital  New Orleans, Louisiana   I saw the lady as she passed my table in the busy atrium of Oschner’s Hospital. She was walking briskly, and I immediately saw she had no arms, only nubs that ended past her shoulders. Then I noticed something else. …

First Snake of the Year   Tuesday, April 16, 2024 It’s mid-April, and the snakes are crawling out of their winter homes.  The warmer nights are the impetus for them to stick their heads above ground. I’ve spent the winter months not worrying about where I walk or put my hands. But that is changing. I’m waiting to see my …

When Venus and Jupiter Came Out Monday, April 15, 2004 I’ve purposely waited until a week since the eclipse to write about it. I wanted to let the dust settle from the event and my soul. I won’t try to describe how it looked when our sun was completely covered by our moon. You’ve seen the photos, and the images …

    The Unoffended Life “The unoffended life is the best way to live.” What is the unoffendable life? It’s the mark of a person who doesn’t easily get bent out of shape. They don’t carry a chip on his or her shoulder. They let offenses roll off their back and choose to overlook slights, real or perceived. In the …

Thoughts on a Manly Handshake In a series of upcoming blogs, we’ll discuss the unique greetings found in our Southern culture. We’ll explore handshakes, nods, hugs, tips, winks, and a whole host of unspoken greetings we use here in the Louisiana Pineywoods.* Let’s delve into the cultural significance of the manly handshake, a unique aspect of our Louisiana Pineywoods region. …

Beautiful Cherry Winche Creek near Bethel Baptist Church in Rapides Parish area of Plainview. How have you seen “Cherry Winchie” spelled? What story/stories have you heard on the origin of the creek’s name?

An Obituary I’d Love to Have. One of the reasons I still receive a paper copy of The Town Talk is to read the well-written obituaries submitted by families. I was touched by the concluding sentence of the obit. of Judge Frank Alan Little, Jr in Sunday’s April 7, 2024 edition. “He often remarked that his wife, family, and friends …

  Join Curt as he reads this story at the Creekbank YouTube Channel:   @curtiles56 Listen at the Creekbank  Audio Podcast or at  Spotify: Curt Iles/Creekbank Stories For more social media contacts, scroll to the end of the newsletter.   Happy April Fool’s Day   I love April Fool’s Day. I’m an unreformed prankster. I’ve pulled some fine pranks on …

There are numerous ways to join us at Creekbank Stories. You’re always welcome. Curt   Social Media Links to The Creekbank: Website and blogs:  www.creekbank.net Join Curt as he reads on the Creekbank YouTube Channel:   @curtiles56 Listen to the Creekbank  Audio Podcast or at  Spotify: Curt Iles/Creekbank Stories Amazon:   Curt Iles/Creekbank Facebook Followers     https://www.facebook.com/TheCreekTribe/ Facebook Friends:   Creekbank …

    Today’s Creekbank Blog Post is number 1500 in a long string of blog posts stretching back to June 2006. You can trace them all back by scrolling our blog posts at www.creekbank.net After you read “The Cardinal and Mr. Smith’s Plane,” we believe you’ll enjoy this story on YouTube  as well as our Audio Podcast. The Cardinal and Mr. …

            Creekbank Family, My upcoming short story collection is entitled Where I Come From: Field Notes from the Pineywoods. I’ve listed chapter titles and taglines.  I’ll be adding new chapters, so stay tuned. Most of these chapters have been published on the Creekbank.net/blog. Take a look. As always, I welcome your input. questions. and feedback …