This painting "Doten at The Old House" is my favorite one by my uncle Bill Iles. It is featured on the back cover of my second book, The Old House.

This is a special photograph because I'm pictured with two special women in my life. Standing beside me is my sweet mom, Mary Iles. She has been a lifelong encourager and wonderful mother.

I'm so thankful for the values and examples she and my dad lived out for my two sisters and me. I've always told folks, "My parents are the same at home as what you see in public-- kind, Godly, fun, and positive.

The painting behind us hangs in the living room of the house in Dry Creek where I grew up, built with my dad's own hands in 1960.

The painting is of my great grandmother, Theodosia "Doten" Iles. It was painted by her grandson, my uncle Bill Iles.

I (half) jokingly tell my mother I've written my name on the back of it and it is the only possession she has I want.

However the possession I already have is priceless. It's the heritage that both sides of my family have poured into my life. My Iles side, with their deep roots here in Beauregard Parish since shortly after this became Louisiana in 1812. My mother's side, the Plotts, with their rambling up and down the Kansas City Southern rail line. I'm part of both of those heritages and I'm proud of both.

Back cover of The Old House Click on cover to read text in larger view

To see a larger view of back cover and read text, click on cover.

To learn more about The Old House and the other six books authored by Curt Iles, visit www.creekbank.net

Curt's Travel Sketchbook

This sketch is from the tsunami-devastated region of Indonesia where I visited several months after the disaster. Each cloth rag represented where a body had been recovered.


From Curt's Pen and Pencil

By no means do I consider myself an accomplished artist. I'm more of a sketcher. It comes in handy on long trips and layovers in foreign airports. I've also found that sketching draws a crowd in other countries. I've made lots of friends with my journals.

I hope you enjoy them. I'll be adding more in the coming days.

Curt


These first sketches are from my China trip. We moved through a crowded train station and I drew this tired traveler as well as
the box of chirping biddies.


The other sketch is from a scene we witnessed where a couple was scooping water into a rice field in SE China. The photo I took is shown below the sketch.

Walking in rural China "Bucket by Bucket"

This is one of most treasured photos. It shows a hardworking Chinese couple moving water from an irrigation ditch to the rice field behind me.

We couldn't communicate (except smiling and gesturing) but I realized the rice field needed a higher water level of several inches. The couple were "bucket by bucket" supplying the water.

Many times folks ask, "Why don't they just cut a ditch across the road and let the water drain into the field?" It's because the rice field level is higher than the ditch. Therefore, they were doing the only thing that worked. Filling bucket after bucket of water.

I wondered this: How many buckets would it take to raise the level of this several acre rice field one inch? Thousands and thousands?

Knowing the rural Chinese work ethic I saw everywhere I walked, I'm sure they-- with the help of others got it done. I bet if I'd returned at midnight, two people would have been on the bucket doing the job that needed doing.

I took away several spiritual points from this photo.
1. We cannot reach the world with the news of Jesus by ourselves. We must partner with others.

2. We change our world one bucket-- one person-- at a time.

3. Our job is to faithfully man our bucket at the station we've been placed.

In a nearby village, we hid dozens of copies of The Jesus Film in the native dialect of the couple shown. Now people in this area have heard and seen about The Living Water-- Jesus Christ, the Son of God I serve with all of my heart.

Bucket by bucket... It's a good theme to have.

Curt's bike trip across the Black Hills September 2008

The Mickelson Trail stretches for 109 miles through South Dakota's beautiful Black Hills. It is a former railroad that has been converted to a bicycle/hiking/skiing/horse trail. It features five tunnels (see picture below) and countless bridges and trestles.

The aspens were turning golden and the weather was just right for my end to end trip.

(Below) The trails runs alongside Rapid Creek for many miles.

Wildlife were found everywhere. Most of the trail is secluded and I saw turkey (see picture) deer, buffalo, chipmunks, and snakes.

One of the tunnels

The trail winds through an aspen grove.

One of my goals for 2008 is to spend as much time as possible outdoors. It is there that I feel closest to God and it's also where many of my best stories develop.

"The Bible is a book written to be read outdoors." -Wendell Berry

Noah Iles brushing his teeth

Jack Iles with his Papaw.

Our third wonderful grandson is Jude Iles, brother of Noah. Pictures coming soon.

State Liar's Contest

It's April Fool Day and I'm ready to talk about my lying pedigree.

The address above is a prayer letter I receive monthly. As you can see, it reads Curt Lies.

I've thought about correcting it, but kind of enjoy the laughs it gets.

It's a good April Fool Day item to share.

Several weeks ago I had a great honor-- I served as a judge for the Louisiana State Liar's Contest. It was fun and a neat experience. Sponsored by the La./Cenla Storyteller's Guild, it is a yearly event.

I laughed that my years as an assistant principal prepared me to judge liars, or maybe it was the address on the above envelope

It was a fun day of storytelling. By the way, a preacher won second place.

On Friday and Saturday I spent time at the Merryville Heritage Festival. As always, it was a fine time of music, visiting, and making new friends.

Picture are my friends who were my next door neighbors at my booth.

(from left) Paul and Beth Cuevas and Jackie Womack. The Cuevas' live in Merryville. Jackie is the chief of the Four Winds Tribe. Visit http://www.blogger.com/www.fourwindstribe.cc.com to learn more about this tribe.

Pictured is Cherry Winche Creek. To learn more about its unique name, visit our Wayfaring Stranger blog.

We visited Clay and Robin Iles and Noah in Fort Worth. Terry Iles is on the left and DeDe on the right. We are at an Indian Restaurant. It was the hottest food I've ever eaten. They made fun of my sweating!