Some little known facts about me: I have always been a storyteller.

When I was young, I used to make my little sister (five years younger than me) sit and listen to my stories. She tells me now she thought this was what she had to do to get ready to go to school. Maybe I told her that, but I don’t remember.

I told her about Happy the Bear that found a honey tree and shared it with his little brother and sister.

I was in second grade and learned in school about how small creeks can flow into lakes or rivers or even oceans, so I told her about the adventures of Fishy who went from our local Blue Creek, at the foot of our property, to Priest Lake and how much he loved meeting all the other inhabitants of this Idaho lake.

I wrote stories too. I have several notebooks full of one-page stories, then five-page stories, then longer ones.

Now, why am I telling you all of this? Because now I am in a place in my life where I write novels and short stories and I have been writing a column for the Kingston Community News since 2007.

The weird thing is that with all this writing throughout my life, I never tried to get published until I retired. Yes, I did some writing on the job (how-to manuals and newsletters), but no fiction. At this time, I have published three books with my own name and been part of five anthologies. I consider myself lucky and I plan to keep writing.

Right now, I’m working on a fiction mystery, hopefully to be published this year. The working title is “Just a Visit,” about a body that washes up with the ferry.

Now, let me tell you what’s going on in Hansville.

• Don’t forget to take your re-usable clothing and small appliances or furniture to the Greater Hansville Community Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 9 for the annual Rummage Sale drop off.

• Our Hansville  Garden Tour is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 16. Tickets are available at Savage Plants and Hansville Grocery. The lineup is great. Two of the gardens are being featured in West Sound Home & Garden magazine; the other gardens were designed by landscape designers. Master Gardeners will walk and talk you through our Buck Lake Native Plant Garden. Should be great fun.

• The Neighbor Luncheon is at noon July 20.

• The Men’s Koffee Klatch meets at 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday at the Hansville Store. All men are welcome.

• The Better Half’s Coffee group meets at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays at the Hansville Store. All women are invited to join.

• Don’t forget all of the fun stuff going on at the Little Boston Library.

You can find details about these and other doings at www.hansville.org/index.php/hansville -log-newsletter. The calendar is full of ways to join your neighbors in some good, local fun.

Don’t forget to say hello when you see me at these events.

— Contact columnist Donna Lee Anderson at welltoldtales@aol.com.