CP Campbell

To introduce myself, I must say that I am NOT your average "writer"; in fact, I am NOT a writer, per se! Actually, I am a "creator," but since that sounds rather presumptuous of me, you might be more inclined to label me a "jack-of-all-trades, master of none."

Having made that disclaimer, my heart finally allowed me to agree to this feature because I was asked and because I believe its' original intention was to bring out some stories from people like myself. Over the past 30 years I have written poetry, along with a few short stories and a chapter or two of what I laughingly refer to as 'my novel'. Enough work was sent to magazines and assorted publishers to garner a nice envelope full of rejection slips, but finally the youngish working Mom filled up a few boxes and put her writings away.

Now, by coming up with such a creative outlet to present our work, Scott has certainly renewed the excitement for me in my initial writings and in the process, has helped me pursue more of same. ~

Born to the farmer and the city girl, just West of Atlanta, I was a planned accident! Having been so planned, I was then named after Dale Evans' adopted daughter, Cheryl, but with a different spelling. It amazes me today to find others with the unique spelling, C-H-E-R-R-I-L, but they DO exist!

As a child, I wanted to make my own clay (as the Native Americans did) and then make beautiful boxes. Unfortunately, I never found the correct recipe and they all fell apart. Later I would play in the dirt for hours, designing tiny matchbox buildings with driveways, etc., or even building a play cemetery and landscaping it. The 4-H Club was a big part of our lives and I 'minored' in 'plants' and 'majored' in insects (entomology). As a teenager, I took a few horticultural courses and became a member of the FFA (Future Farmers) Club of Ga. in 1967-68, the year they finally accepted females.

The dirt play and horticulture classes came in handy when I moved down 'south' to the Ga. coast. I landed a job to 'answer phones' for a St. Simons Island landscape nursery, but soon began drawing and estimating landscape plans, presenting estimates to potential clients, preparing advertisements for local ads and running the nursery on my own. The ads I wrote put me in touch with local writers and publishers of an award winning newspaper, The Islander. I enjoyed some writers' club meetings with their friends and published quite a few articles in the paper. At the nursery, I also had the time and materials to pursue a brand new art form: bonsai. Bonsai is the Art of Miniaturizing Trees. I knew I was successful at the art when trees started disappearing from the nursery. No greater way to find out you know what you are doing, than to have it 'stolen' from you! After ten years, the nursery lost its lease on that valuable island and a great thing came to an end. The next seven years or so were spent in sales management and administration, along with some free-lance office work.

In my late 30's, I was a 4-H Program Assistant for the clubs in the county. If you know about 4-H and (state) Cooperative Extension Services, their original purpose was to help with plants and horticulture (farming) for the males and homemaking for the females. From the beginning, I informed my employers that I did not do KITCHENS. My personal supervisors had to check on that fact a few times, but found that my original statement was true: I do not do KITCHENS! Altogether, though,4-H was an enjoyable experience, dealing with children from the fourth grade up through high school, planning and executing plant and landscape programs to teach and inspire them and to help them "Make the Best Better!"

For about ten years now, I have been a stay at home wife (36th. Anniv. this summer) and mother, then grandmother to 2 precocious grandkids (ready made) and then one more grandson! They present quite a challenge! It's all worth it, though!

The internet provided me with another "creative outlet" and I have really enjoyed meeting great people over the past six years. Webpages were my first "internet love"! Eventually, chat rooms and new friends took that position! A highlight of my virtual life has been to meet and enjoy a vacation with eight friends in a North Ga. cabin near Helen, Ga. One friend flew in from Oregon, another from Texas and yet another from Pa. They were just like themselves - just moreso!

I've appreciated the chance to encourage online friends to write and have seen some win contests and even post here on OURECHO!

I thank Scott for all he is attempting to accomplish and all who have commented so nicely on my personal postings! I really enjoy this and I know more and more people will do the same in the future. Let's keep up the 'encouraging one another in good works'! It pays in more ways than one.

Story ID:	425
Written by:	OurEcho Admin (bio, link, contact, other stories)
Story type:	In The Spotlight
Location:	Brunswick Ga USA
Year:	2006
Person:	CP Campbell