By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer Fifteen years ago, I was not writing Western romance but teaching sixth-grade Ancient-World History and Language Arts in a central California farming community. I was also writing a slice-of-life column for a daily newspaper in a larger, nearby city. This Father’s Day, I want
Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer “Daddy prays with me at night before I go to sleep. It makes me feel welcome and safe.” “Welcome” seems like an unusual word choice, but think about it. The child who said this feels welcome at home. How many do not? This child has a
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer My farmer father taught me how to drive by starting me out on a tractor when I was about 10. His instructions included the following: Stand up on the brake if you can’t push it down. Stop at intersections even if no cars are
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. It’s been a very long time since I wished my dad “Happy Father’s Day.” So here goes … Daddy was a California farmer. He wore long-sleeved shirts against the sun, regardless of the season. He carried his
By Davalynn Spencer @davalynnspencer My dad taught me how to drive a tractor and a nail. He taught me how to start a motherless calf on a bucket by using my fingers, how to set irrigation pipe in the hot San Joaquin Valley sun, and how to