Author: Ann Marie Bryant

As of late, I am a sixty-something grandmother who loves to write. Since I come from a long line of storytellers, I believe it's time to share those stories and preserve our family history. My hope is that my family will treasure these memories as much as I do!

Toil and Trouble

Published on by Ann Marie Bryant6 Comments

In the days of the Salem Witch Trials, fears ran rampant as villagers worried about the dark magic of its inhabitants. Superstitions of ancient spells took flight, and many fell victim to false accusations of witchcraft. Even the animals of the region did not escape allegations, for many believed animals would aide witches with their dark craft. Many villagers would often be on the lookout for any creature that exhibited odd behavior.

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The Storm Drain Adventure

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If we could find one of the few survivors of this Halloween prank and get them to talk about it, they might say something like;

“It was my first Halloween night without a parent.  Mom had finally agreed to letting me go out with my friend Chris.  We were best friends in 3rd grade.  We were only going a few blocks from home and it was just dark enough that we knew things were supposed to get scary – but it was only Halloween and being really scared was only for the little kids.  The first 4 houses had been really nice and we were walking up Mountain View to the next neighborhood when I heard something strange from the street – only there wasn’t anything in the street.  It was quiet and empty.  “How could that be?” I wondered.

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The Legacy of Susan B. Anthony

Published on by Ann Marie Bryant4 Comments

Teacher. Abolitionist. Educational Reformer. Labor Organizer. Suffragist. Women’s Rights Pioneer. Temperance Worker. Civil Rights Leader. Author.

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One of the most influential female advocates for Civil Rights was Susan B. Anthony.  Through her tireless efforts, she championed for social justice, women’s rights, and the emancipation of slaves. This remarkable woman left a lasting legacy as a heroine for justice for all people of this nation, and her historical accounts have continued to inspire people in our country.

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Adventures in the Ship’s Tanks

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Every muscle in my body hurt but I still had over an hour on my shift. The past 7 hours of awkwardly squirming and banging my body against the cold steel of a tank not designed for people was taking its toll.

This tank was long and profoundly awkward, ill-designed for a humanoid. It must have stretched 100 or more feet along the side of the ship. One wall was the hull. It curved downward from the ceiling until it hit the narrow floor. There was a wide I-beam hull stiffener, wide enough for a man to lie down in. The design made good use of the triangular shape of the ship’s hull after cutting out nice rectangular rooms and walk ways for the crew. Wave suppressing baffles were everywhere and no where was it tall enough to stand.

This tank was freshly painted with epoxy but not yet fully cured, so the air was saturated with epoxy fumes – deadly toxic.

I was stiff, wet, cold, sore, snot-nosed beneath all my safety gear, nearly deaf, partially blind, stuck inside of wet clothes that I could not take off. So yea – long day at the office.

I had worked my way almost to the tank end when suddenly the lights failed and complete and total darkness swallowed me whole. You have to be kidding me! Continue reading “Adventures in the Ship’s Tanks” →

The Piggy Bank

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Screen Shot 2018-10-15 at 11.59.22 AMWhen I was a little girl, I lived in my mama’s hometown, Hotchkiss, Colorado.  On my first birthday, I celebrated the day at my grandparent’s house, a small cabin situated on Roger’s Mesa.  One of my gifts from my grandparents was a little piggy bank.  It was a pig in a barrel.  I still have that little bank, and it means the world to me.  According to my mom, my grandparents fussed over this gift before they decided on this little guy.  Sweet memories. Continue reading “The Piggy Bank” →