AULANDER – This past Sunday, author Dorothy Jenkins-Combs returned to her hometown of Aulander to share her newly published booklet entitled, Dorothy’s Window.

The book-signing event took place at 1 p.m. at the Sally Jenkins Memorial Public Library and resembled a family reunion as Combs greeted upwards of 20 to 30 guests within the first hour.

Dorothy’s Window was born out of Combs’ experiences as a child growing up on a small town farm in the 1940’s and is a 42-page account of local history through the eyes of someone who lived it.

Combs said she was inspired to record her experiences on paper after an admonition from a young teenage girl she met while working as a counselor at Boundary Waters Canoe Area, a summer camp that borders Canada and Minnesota.

Combs commented, &uot;I would tell the teens stories from my childhood and they loved it.

One of the girls, whose name was Karen, encouraged me to record these life events on paper so that the memories could be passed on to future generations.&uot;

She continued, &uot;Her comment sort of acted as a confirmation for me since I had been thinking about it for several years.&uot;

The booklet, according to Combs, began as an account of &uot;hog killin’ in the south&uot; with the title When the Cold Snap Comes, and developed into what it is today as a result of organizing her thoughts into a concise, historical account.

&uot;After I had begun writing about the hog killing on the farm, I began to draw on other memories from that period in my life and realized their significance in relation to that particular event,&uot; said Combs. &uot;By the time I was done, I realized that I had written an account of approximately one whole year of my life.&uot;

Now, at the age of 71, she has accomplished her goal. &uot;My hope is that this booklet will stir the hearts of the readers to reflect on their own childhood experiences and remember the good times they had while growing up.&uot;

Combs holds a degree in Education from Duke University as well as a Master’s in Clinical Psychology from Wynona State University in Minnesota.

She married to Dr. Joseph John Combs, Jr., a retired senior physician from the Mayo Clinic and former member of the U.S. Air Force.

She is also the author of a new children’s book, Widdle Waddle Wiley Wallaroo, which is currently undergoing publication.

She enjoys music and singing in her spare time and has three adult children and seven grandchildren.

Her and her husband currently reside in Rochester, Minnesota.

For those interested in purchasing Dorothy’s Window, contact dnj8@aol.com and request your copy.

Cost of the book is $20.