family Archives – James D. Hogan

Snow Weekend Notes

On February 1, 2026

This weekend Sylva had an honest-to-goodness snow event. Starting overnight Friday, fluffy snow blew in from a nor’easter that spun to our south and then off the coast. The snow kept up all morning Saturday and well into the afternoon. By the end of the day, we had 6.5 inches in many places.

The entire state got a healthy treat of snow, too. Mom and Dad saw plenty in Taylorsville and Hickory, and Carl and Dianne had a good measure in Statesville.

Helping out matters was a pretty cold bit of air that had been in place all week following last weekend’s ice storm. That one missed us completely, but there were still plenty of covered, frozen streets back in Iredell County, where they didn’t go to school all week.

More Light

By James D. Hogan

On December 22, 2025

In writing

A winter night’s grace.

Last night at dinner, I felt a twinge of emotion spring into my throat. It caught me by surprise, not that it shouldn’t have: we were sitting down to Sunday supper around the table, each of the children lighting the candles of the wreath the fourth week of Advent, our plates piled high with steaming-hot food on the darkest evening of the year.

Our anniversary.

It’s been too long now for me to remember with any accuracy whether we thought much about the symbolism of getting married on the winter solstice. Rather, I suspect we chose the date because it was a Saturday. That it happened to fall on the 21st was lovely enough–we first started dating on a 21st, and my birthday is on a 21st. Kelly, a young teacher, and I, a poor college student, both knew we’d have winter break to count on for time off from work. The church was available–and, importantly for a budget wedding, already decorated. So it was that we spoke our vows to each other four days before Christmas.

All Creatures Great and Small

By James D. Hogan

On May 12, 2025

In writing

Giving in–and learning along the way.

After months–honestly, it was years–of avoiding what felt like our children’s inevitable acquisition of small, furry rodent animals to serve as pets, and after successfully weaving between the pitiful pleas of kids number one and two–those eyes, those knowing looks of disappointment–I finally (finally!) acquiesced. Annie wanted a hamster. And I was too worn down to object. I held out for what should have been an appropriate amount of time. Even the most dogged defenses, it turns out, have vulnerabilities.

Mine began with a PowerPoint deck.

It’s only appropriate. How perfect that the chink in my armor involved a slide deck and an impassioned pitch. How pathetic that at nine years old, Annie had me figured out.

Tag: family Page 1 of 19

Snow Weekend Notes

More Light

A winter night’s grace.

All Creatures Great and Small

Giving in–and learning along the way.