courtesy of Mary Sue Shusky ~

Mary Sue’s little bundle of treasures included her grandmother’s autograph book from girlhood.

Mary Beedle Look Dilliard’s Girlhood Autograph Book  (Circa 1870s - 80s)

While I was not able to copy each page because the book is quite fragile,...

It’s been a while since there’s been an “Irving” installment so here are a few family photos and a personal story… Irving’s grandparents (and my great grandparents), Oliver Childs Look and Catherine (Kate) Beedle Look, had five children, two sons and three daughters. T...

A hearty "Thank You" to Elliot Schusky for taking this beautiful photo of a sunflower and Monarch butterflies this weekend at the D.D. Collins House....

Ken Sprong, grandson of Irving Dilliard, sent a photocopy of a letter that he received from his grandfather regarding the Jump Up and Kiss Me plant.

The letter was written by Irving on July 15, 1984.  I am sharing portions of that letter with you, just as it was sent...

AGNES IN THE GARDEN: In the first short entry, I told about my father's buying the Collins House in 1998 just four years before he died at the age of 97. At that time the house was referred to as the Bonn House for its longtime owners, Walter and Agnes Bonn. I remember...

Irving Dilliard takes a ride past the D.D. Collins House to check out the work being done at the house, which involved the removal of a one-room, attached store front which had been added to the house. That addition was originally a small grocery store built in about 1...