Amazon Black Sands Enterprises Category:  Children Publisher: Black Sands Enterprises ISBN-10:  0967178118 Type: Fiction Pages: 144 Copyright: Jul 1 2001 ISBN-13: 9780967178110 Ora's Farm is the touching story of three children, each dealing with emotional issues. Ora is their kindly old neighbor, a farmer who is their mentor, although he doesn't seem to realize it, offering sage, simple advice to grow on. Stephen is feeling the effects of his parents' divorce, Jessica is dealing with a new stepfather in her house and Kristin's mother has cancer. Ora steers them with a gentle hand and heart, making sure all three survive their storms, growing to adulthood. Ora is based on real life farmer and wonderful person, Ora Coleman.  Excerpt          Ora recognized Jessica and Stephen immediately as they walked down the long dirt driveway. He waved and called out hello to them in his friendly, I’m so really glad to see you way. “Kristin not with you?” he asked the two of them as they got closer.          “No, she’s not home,” Stephen said. “Her whole family has been gone all week. I don’t know where.”          Ora looked sad, but Stephen didn’t know why. Ora was putting a blanket over his gardenias because he had heard it might frost. It felt too warm to put a blanket on anything to Stephen, but he was only seven. Kristin and Jessica were seven, too, and Stephen had known them for two years. That’s how long it had been since Stephen’s mom and dad had gotten a divorce and he and his mom had moved into the neighborhood.

Smelling The Gardenias

Ora represents the contributions, values and wisdom that are the hallmarks of our grandparents' generation. Delightful characters find his role in their lives indispensable as they traverse the realities of today's childhood. Marcia, thanks for the diversion. I can almost smell the gardenias.

James E. Kilgore
Author and Minister
Lake Arrowhead Chapel
Waleska, GA