I just completed my eighteenth children's book.  Most of this work has taken place while some nasty little virus invaded the planet.  Who knew I'd be this productive?  Who knew I'd get eighteen of them completed?  (And, yes, I've already started number nineteen.)  Anyway, this latest tale is one of my most favorites.  Over the years, I've gathered and rewritten over two hundred fifty folktales from around the world.  But, it comes down to a tie when I try to tell you which one is my favorite.  I love The Stone at the Door, a love story from Morocco.  It reminds me so much of the wonderful friends and family I made when I lived in Casablanca.  However, this Moroccan tale is a relatively new discovery for me.  Book number eighteen tells a tale from Liberia that I have loved for decades.  I don't know why it took me so long to finally make this book.  The story is included as the first one in my Liberian collection, Once Upon West Africa.  But now, I've finally completed its stand-alone version with The Paramount Chief and One Wise Woman.  Some things are worth the wait.

I slipped a lot of personal things into this book.  It's dedicated to Daniel and Theresa.  Daniel was my best friend from Liberia.  Daniel and Theresa have a great love story of their own.  They fled Liberia during the civil war that ripped the country apart for fourteen years, just after my Peace Corps experience ended.  It wasn't safe in the Ivory Coast either.  Eventually, they had to flee a second time, back into Liberia, and they landed in the remote village where Daniel was born, Tugbaken.  It's my favorite place in the country.  I've previously blogged about finding Daniel when I returned to Liberia to paint murals with the U.S. Embassy in 2106.  It's a three-part blog.  If you want to read all of that story, and you should, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Rural villages in Liberia usually have a chief.  A paramount chief is one step up from that and rules over several villages.  The paramount chief in my tale is wise -- and he knows it!  He likes to settle problems that are brought before him.  And, he doesn't want anybody else to interfere with this process.  However, his life is turned upside-down when he crossed paths with one wise woman.  Isn't that always the case?

In my book, you'll see the paramount chief wearing several traditional Liberian suits with matching cap, shirt, pants, and gown.  They are colorful and wonderful.  I had one made for me while I was a Peace Corps Volunteer.  Mine was a very traditional blue tie-dyed pattern.  I used this fabric pattern for the background of each page border.  It adds an authentic touch to the book.  And, you won't know this unless you read my blog, but the first picture of the one wise woman has her wearing a yellow head scarf and golden earrings.  That was inspired by a photo I took of Daniel's wife, Theresa, also one wise woman.

I slipped in other personal things into the book illustrations.  The one wise woman has a scene that takes place in her home village.  I modeled the buildings in my illustrations from scenes that I photographed when I visited Tugbaken.  While in the village, there is a scene inside a bedroom with a goat and four chickens.  Now, I never once saw a goat or chickens in anyone's bedroom.  I drew the goat, just because I thought he was adorable.  And, there were goats in the village.  But, I had a different reason to include the chickens.  If you are super welcomed in Liberia, you are formally given a chicken.  That never happened to me in the six years that I lived in Africa.  But, when I visited in Tugbaken, within twenty-four hours, I was officially welcomed at five ceremonies and given four chickens and a traditional African suit made from country cloth. 

This book even has a recipe included.  Now, when I lived in Liberia, my favorite dishes were cassava leaves and beans gravy.  However, a very special dish was included in this story.  And, if you were going to have something for an important occasion, it was usually jollof rice (which required three kinds of meat).  So, you can learn how to make that dish if you get to the end of the book.

I'm so very pleased with The Paramount Chief and One Wise Woman.  It contains a wealth of warm feelings from my experience in Liberia.  And, it has been well-received by the people who have seen it, so far.  Perhaps the biggest surprise came from my local publisher in Columbus, Biblio Publishing, who makes my paperback books. They contacted me to say that they have recently joined The Graphic Media Alliance.  As a part of this organization, they were asked to submit one of their published books for the Print Excellent Award competition. Out of all of the authors they print, and from all of my books that I've illustrated, they selected The Paramount Chief and One Wise Woman.  It's obvious to me that one wise woman works at this publishing company!  Thanks, Saint Frances!

I'm very hopeful that this competition will place this book before the eyes of a lot more readers.  When I received my chickens back in Tugbaken, the end of each welcoming ceremony was always the same.  They asked me what my mission was.  I told them I had three missions.  The first mission was to paint murals with Ebola survivors in a project sponsored by the U.S. Embassy.  My second mission was to locate my long-lost friend Daniel.  My first two missions were completed.  But, the third mission is ongoing.  My third mission is to tell the world about my experience in Tugbaken, because nobody can welcome you like the Grebo people.

The people in Tugbaken always liked that mission and now you can consider yourself informed.  
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You never know when something good may come your way.  At least, I don't.  And, sometimes, that goodness pops up in my email box.  If it's there waiting for me first thing in the morning, it's a wonderful way to start the day.

I had one of those mornings recently.  The email was from the U.S. Embassy in Togo (already a good sign) and they wanted to know if I was free to come to West Africa next month.  Next month is less than a week away.  As long as I have no trouble getting a visa, it won't take me any time to pack my bags.  Of course, a visa isn't always a fast thing to attain.  The last time I went to Africa, the U.S. State Department had to get involved to push along a certain foreign embassy with their paperwork.  I got my passport and visa the night before departure! 

In my request, the people at the embassy wanted to know if I was interested in a mural project that would include a local artist and some students.  If you know anything about my work, you know that falls into place perfectly with what I do.  I replied with about fifteen lines in all capital letters screaming, "YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!"  And then, I gave a few suggestions to help them plan.  For every other project I've painted with embassies, I've painted two murals over about a two week period.  Since they want me along with a local artist, I thought it might be good to paint two murals (as usual) with me designing one mural and the local artist designing the other.  I like to share the ownership when I can.  

I'm not going to be surprised if none of you know where Togo is located.  But, since I was in the Peace Corps in Liberia, I know that Togo is three countries to the right of Liberia.  (If you don't know where Liberia is located, well, I just can't help you.)  Anyway, the only other thing I know about Togo is that they speak French.  That doesn't phase me in the slightest.  I've painted murals with people who speak French, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Romanian, Albanian, Estonian, Swahili, Afrikaans, Fijian, Quechua, and Russian sign language.   Language is not a barrier.

However, it's been over a week since I sent that reply.  I've not heard a peep from Togo.

I still live in hope.

But, some other good things are brewing for me in West Africa in addition to Togo.  Like I said, Togo is only three countries away from Liberia.  The office in every embassy that I always deal with is the Public Affairs Office.  After all, my murals are great for public relations!  I may or may not meet the ambassador as I paint my murals, but I always have frequent communication with the Public Affairs Officer in every country. 

Well, it just so happened that the current Public Affairs Officer in Liberia is from Columbus, Ohio!  Who knew?  Sometimes it's a very small world, you must agree.  And, it gets even better!  The Public Affairs Officer, Sean, was home visiting family this week and suggested we get together for coffee at his favorite hometown coffee shop, Stauf's Coffee. 

It was perhaps the best cup of coffee I ever had!

If you have ever traveled a lot overseas, you may know that most of the people back home are not interested in what you did on your vacation.  It's too foreign.  They can't relate.  If you talk too long, eyes start to glaze over.  But, if you meet a fellow traveler, that just isn't a concern.  There is so much to talk about -- especially if you share the same country in your travels. 

So, of course, we talked about Liberia. 

I had to tell the Public Affairs Officer that I once was the most famous Peace Corps Volunteer in all of Liberia.  Yep, it was legendary status for a while.  I mean, two of my Peace Corps friends and I survived a bus wreck on the first day of our vacation in the Ivory Coast.  And, then on the third day of the trip, the two women were jumped by rogues with knives.  I had to stop the attack by taking a flying leap into the air like Superman and knocking one of the thieves to the ground.  It's always a little grueling to have to be a superhero, but I saved the day that time.  Of course, I didn't know that those rogues with knives had a habit of slicing up people who resisted them.  However, I'm fairly sure that they never faced Superman very often either.

After talking international experiences, we had a more local conversation about Columbus.  I wanted to be sure he saw one of my murals while he was home.  My most visible mural is at a food pantry not so far from the Ohio State University.  But, another one that is really huge, was in Sean's home stomping grounds of Upper Arlington.  I asked him if he knew where Tremont Elementary was located.  It was a simple question.  I didn't expect to have my sock knocked off.  He did it anyway.  "Yes, I know where it is.  My best friend from middle school days, Tino, teaches music there."

I know Tino! ​

Some days good messages come across my computer screen.   Recently, my sister wrote to me asking, “Would you like to come to Alaska for September?”  Yes, I consider that a very good message indeed.

My sister and her husband run a fishing lodge near King Salmon, Alaska.  If you ever see photos of bears fishing for salmon in a waterfall in Alaska, it is most likely at Katmai National Park.  That’s a brief boat trip from my sister’s place.  So, it is wonderful to head to Alaska to see the bears.  It’s a conversation killer with all her guests when I tell them I did not come to the lodge to fish.  And, it’s just wonderful to spend time with my sister.

On this trip, I would not just be visiting.  I joined the kitchen crew.  She’d lost some of her staff and needed another body in the kitchen.  Currently, there are four of us in the kitchen.  One of my friends asked me if I like preparing the food.  There is none of that kind of nonsense on my part.  Nobody wants to eat my cooking.  I manage to dollop some rice or mashed potatoes when needed.  In a pinch, I can serve food.  But, usually, I find myself nothing more than a glorified busboy, way too old to be called a boy. 

As far as the four in the kitchen go, I’ve blogged about my sister in the past.  Amanda had the best bear story I’ve ever heard in Alaska.  I write about myself just too much.  And then, there is Chef Josh. 

There are four guys named Josh at camp.  Big Josh, LBJ (Little Baby Josh), Shua (short for Joshua), and Chef Josh.  I kinda liked Chefshua, but I have to stick with what he goes by, Josh or Chef. 

Anyway, the four of us in the kitchen get along so very well.  It’s fun to scrape slop, clean clutter, and maintain a kitchen when the crew is so friendly.  Chef is new to the fishing lodge this year.  He’s said that he’s never worked in an environment that was so much like a family before.  I blame that on my sister.  She’s the heart and soul of the place.  And, guests and staff return year after year because they are so welcomed.

Josh has not traveled nearly as much as me.  He’s hardly ever left New England!  But, he had a few stories to rival any of my (mis)adventures.  I rarely ever happen upon people that can do that.  Chef has success in the kitchen as well as with his stories.

I don’t remember the name of the other lodge somewhere further into the wilderness, but Chef worked at another location in the past.  One of his best – or worst – stories happened in his own cabin.  Staff members generally have to share a cabin with another employee.  When Chef walked into his cabin, his roomie sat on the bed with his revolver, spinning the cylinder that held the bullets.  It’s neither a sight nor a sound that you want from somebody who will share your sleeping accommodations.  Imagine what he could do to you if you snore?  And, I do!

Chef did what any sane person would do.  He gathered up all of the guy’s bullets and headed off to have a talk with his employer.  The new boss wasn’t quite as supportive as you would hope for.  He said, “You can’t take the guy’s bullets away!  He has a second amendment right to own them.” 

Well, Chef had a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  All three were threatened by this guy possessing bullets for the revolver.  The rooming situation didn’t last the whole season.  The roommate that nobody would want to have went home to the ex-girlfriend who felt the same way about him.  He ended up shooting her, as well as the new boyfriend, before setting the house on fire.  A national manhunt took place to finally put this guy behind bars where he belonged.

Like I said, I have no stories to match this one.

Chef’s other tale was a whole lot more humbling.  He went on a mission trip to central Mexico.  As a part of the experience, the group went to Axtla, a remote village way up in the mountains.  It’s one thing to live in a remote village.  It’s a whole other experience to live in the countryside near a remote village in the mountains.  Chef came upon a man living in a home he created from cardboard boxes.  There were four walls and no ceiling. 

If you lived in a cardboard home with no ceiling, you can almost imagine what little you’d own inside your home.  It would be little more than the clothes on your back.  But, when Chef visited with this wonderful human being at his cardboard home, the man started to remove his shirt.  He was literally going to give his guest the shirt off his back!
Of course, Chef had to ask what was going on.  Why was this man doing this?

The answer was simple.  The man said, “I can see that you are not used to the sunshine here.  Your skin is burning.  You need to cover it.”

I’ve met wonderful people as I’ve traveled the world.  I have been cared for and supported by people from so many countries and cultures.  But, I’ve never been offered the shirt off of someone’s back.  Of course, Chef didn’t accept the shirt.  But, I think his heart was forever humbled and changed by the kindness of this stranger.

I think we all need to try a little more kindness with everyone we meet, either friend, family, or stranger.  This wonderful human in remote Mexico is an example for us all.  Gracias.

I am seriously finding things in "my own backyard" that I just never really expected.  My most recent discovery was the Hanby House in Westerville, another one of the bedroom communities for Columbus.  The Hanbys lived in the house from 1853 to 1870.  The house is filled with period antiques along with some actual pieces that belonged to the family.  But, if you want to see it, you need to make a reservation.  There are not so many volunteers for the museum run by the Westerville Historical Society.  So, call ahead to make your plans.

The Antique-Lover in Me   I grew up with antiques.  My mother loved them, as did her mother before her.  So, I've seen antiques my whole life.  As soon as you enter the Hanby kitchen, there are so many unique and interesting period pieces.  Some people may never have seen butter molds before.  You can see one at this house, but that wasn't anything new.  (I own three of them.)  The wood-burning stove in the center of the kitchen had several metal irons that would heat up there.  However, I had that kind of iron when I was in the Peace Corps.  (I don't ever want to own one of them again!)  My favorite antique, one which I'd never seen before, was a glass fly trap.  Imagine a plate on three legs with a hole in the middle.  Around the hole is a little trough for honey or sweetened water. Then, place a glass bee hive over the plate.  Those pesky flies smell the sweetness and come up through the hole in the bottom.  But, sorry for those little suckers, they never find their way out.  (I'm on the lookout for one of these.)

A Little William Hanby History    William Hanby was born near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on April 8, 1808.  And, unfortunately, life was hard for the family.  His grandparents came to America as indentured servants, and things were very difficult. They were sold upon arrival in Philadelphia and then auctioned off again in western Pennsylvania.   Instead of indentured servitude, it was a lot closer to convict labor.  When William's mother became an adult, she married a distant cousin to get out of servitude.  However, her husband died leaving the young widow with five children to support.  The only way to survive was to indenture her children.  Nine-year-old William was first sent to work as a farmer with a Quaker family.  They treated him very well, just like you would expect Quakers to do.  

When he was 16, William decided he wanted to work as an apprentice/indentured servant learning the saddler's trade.  It might have been a good trade for the young man, but it was in a horrible situation.  His employer, Jacob Good, didn't live up to his last name.  Good treated William no better than a slave.  Eventually in 1828, three years into the five-year apprenticeship, Hanby decided his future would be better if he fled to Ohio and started his new life there.  He climbed from a second-story window and made his escape. .......

It was a dangerous move to escape the apprenticeship.  If caught, he would have had no more rights than an escaped slave.  But, the kindness of strangers along the way helped Hanby on his journey.  He would never forget the experience.  And, it would direct his steps for the rest of his life.

Hanby lived briefly in Zanesville and then made his way on to Rushville, Ohio, where he found employment as a saddler with the Samuel Miller family.  In 1830, when he earned enough money to pay back what he owed Jacob Good, he returned to Pennsylvania to settle his debt.  Good still didn't live up to his name.  He had Hanby put in jail.  Fortunately, a judge freed him and the debt was settled. 

Then, back in Ohio -- broke but happy -- he returned to the Miller family where he became a partner in the family saddle business.  But, our young William found more than saddles and harnesses there.  He found Samuel Miller's daughter, Ann, and they were married in 1830.  However, Ann had to agree to become the wife of a minister. William, a devote Christian in the United Brethren Church, traveled a circuit as an itenerant minister for about four years.  It took him four weeks to travel the 170 miles of his route.  Eventually, he moved on to Circleville, Ohio, (near my mural at Walnut Elementary School) where he became the editor of the Religious Telescope, a newspaper run by his church. 

In 1845, William Hanby was elected bishop in the United Brethren Church.  In 1847, along with Lewis Davis, Hanby co-founded Otterbein University in Westerville.  It was one of the first colleges in the United States that was founded as a coeducational institution and also one of the first to open up to students of color.  Go Cardinals!  William moved his family to Westerville.  They bought the current home/museum in 1854.  William Hanby served as a local minister, ran a saddler business in the family barn, and eventually became a financial agent for Otterbein University.  
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Who Wouldn't Go     Benny wasn't the only standout among the eight Hanby children.  His sister, Amanda Hanby Billheimer, was the first female missionary sent out by the United Brethren Church.  She and her husband, Jacob Kemp Billheimer, set out for Sierra Leone in West Africa.  Fortunately, those nasty malaria-carrying mosquitoes did not manage to kill them.  They eventually came back to the United States and settled in Alabama.  Kemp died at the age of 69 while Amanda lived to a ripe old 91.   

​And, just another tidbit of history includes their daughter Lulu.  She married Reuchlin Wright.  You most likely haven't ever heard of him, but everyone knows his brothers, Orville and Wilbur.   In Lulu's journals, she wrote about flying as a passenger in Orville's plane.  Orville gave her strict orders not to touch anything!  She followed his orders and very well may have been the first female in flight.  

As for the composer, Ben, he is credited with writing about 80 songs in his career.  You may be like me and never heard of Darling Nelly Gray, but there is another one of his songs that almost everyone knows.  Ben had a singing school in New Paris, Ohio. One Christmas season, he decided to write a sing-along for a performance in nearby Richmond, Indiana.  He called the song Santa Claus, but most of us know it as Up on the Housetop!  If you look over the lyrics, you'll see "Little Will", named after his brother William.  Little Will would have been about 17 when the song was written, attending Otterbein University at that time.  

You may also ask, "Where in the world is New Paris, Ohio, and why did they name it after the capital of France?" Well, I looked it up and it is on the Ohio/Indiana border, not so far from Cincinnati.  It was actually named after Paris, Kentucky, just outside of Lexington.  That town was named after the French capital in honor of their help in the American Revolutionary War.  Now, to come full circle, when I lived near Paris, the original one in France, I created a set of Christmas ornaments on rhea eggs.  The set combined a little bit of America (with my favorite Christmas song when I was a child) and a little bit of Europe (with scenes from Antwerp, Belgium, including Santa in front of the main window at the train station as well as a skyline view of the city).  It's my hope that now that these ornaments are back in the United States that they could possibly be used in a Christmas exhibition at what is now my favorite local museum. 

​Ho!  Ho!  Ho!  Who Wouldn't Go to see that exhibit?