Music was part of my raising. I listened and rolled my eyes to old-timey country music (don’t yell, I like it now), heard Mom sing along with big bands, and jived to the now classic rock with transistor at my ear. Dad knew when and where to find the Grand Ol’ Opry on road trips and Mom tuned in to Mitch Miller and Lawrence Welk on television. ...

Do you want to while away the hours pondering the imponderable? Consider the definition of time. I don’t mean clock time. That’s not a biggie, unless you’re taking time to explain to someone how to tell time on an analog clock. You will hear the inevitable “Why worry with that when we have screens to tell us?” by someones who are getting increasingly older...

We get stuck in unexplainable ruts sometimes, but marketers have it figured out. It’s not unusual to see Christmas in July sales, and coffee shops have us craving pumpkin lattes in August, way ahead of the seasons and holidays when those dishes are featured...

(Apologies to my friend and fellow columnist, a fishing fanatic. Check out A Good Word this week.) Here’s the trouble with fishin’ as I see it. So you see why I call myself a Ripley County “transplant” though I’ve learned my way around these parts and maybe my StL dialect is not as noticeable now. I love Mark Twain National Forest, and I’ve canoed Current River from Baptist Camp...

Stay curious. One comes across that suggestion often when reading about keeping the brain and body healthy and active. Maintaining curiosity poses no problem for me. That’s not exactly the case with other “aging gracefully” tips like walking more and eating enough fiber. They take a bit of planning...

You’ve heard “neurons that fire together wire together.” That explains how we learn isolated steps of the Achy Breaky, then put them together to line dance. One-hundred-twenty years ago Henry James alluded to the brain’s malleability, but it didn’t get much attention until 1948 when that characteristic received a name – neuroplasticity – thanks to Polish neuroscientist Jerry Konorski. ...

“Half of the American people have never read a newspaper. Half have never voted for President. One hopes it’s the same half.” That’s a Gore Vidal quote from the 1992 publication of three of his Harvard University lectures titled “Screening History.”...

We’ve had a few days lately that beckoned me to roll windows down, turn volume up and head off to nowhere in particular. Early in retirement I eagerly accepted that enticement regularly and took off with two must-haves for the frivolity: (1) mad money for snacks/gas (coins from purses/pockets and couch cushions), and (2) a bra for decency when handing over the clinking cash on those snacks/gas stops...

Transitions dominate hearts and minds as first-day-of-school photos pop up on social media. These days tug at heartstrings but not all reactions are created equal. Intensities of emotions vary immensely. I gauge them by personal experiences. Annual 8x10’s featured on living room walls, 5x7’s mailed to grandparents for their albums and wallet-sized photos exchanged among school chums were the norms during my childhood. ...

Technically it’s still summer and it will be until the autumnal equinox on Sept. 22, so we have a month of days to cool off with ice cream treats. Or we’re supposed to have. Mother Nature must be getting antsy for all things pumpkin spice since our days and nights are unusually cooler right now...

Indubitably… Indubitably...

Jumbled, bizarre, erratic, insane - terms used to describe the “crazy” part of crazy quilt. That term popped into my head as I looked at clothing in the far corner of a closet. The various fabrics, colors and decorations would make interesting shapes to use...

“The wave of the future is coming and there is no fighting it.” That was written by Anne Morrow Lindbergh in her book “Gifts from the Sea” published in 1955. She penned her inspirational meditations and musings during a solo getaway to Captiva Island off the coast of Florida. She contemplated modernization, bemoaning time-saving gadgets that complicated life rather than simplifying it and pondered the escalating busy-ness that diminished family dynamics...

“I’ll never get anything done if that phone keeps ringing!” “Look at the line!” “Wanna go shopping with me?” Expressions from another lifetime, one with periods of exasperation and burnout due to overwhelming responsibilities, ill-timed interruptions and despair for circumstances beyond my control...

As much as I’d like to tout the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis as the birthplace of the ice cream cone, ‘t’aint so. Eight years earlier, according to the International Dairy Foods Association, that favorite summertime treat appeared in NYC thanks to an Italian who had emigrated to the US. Italo Marchiony was his name, and he received a patent in 1903 for this popular invention...

John Adams believed July 2 would be the day America commemorated its independence. In a letter to his wife Abigail, he wrote, “July 2 will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.” He believed there should be “pomp and parade, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other.”...

Before the June page of the 2024 calendar is flipped, I will have been on the earth seven decades plus. What a trip! When I was born: I could fill a whole newspaper with the changes I’ve experienced. The majority of them would be in the last 24 years. ...

The nineteenth of June’s for our Prospect, One cannot dispute its effect. To satisfy a need, One just has to read. Our weekly deserves much respect. It has lived to one hundred and fifty, Its impact is special and nifty. In its pages you’ll find Lots of treats for your mind...

I SAY I collect interesting quotes and facts, words and sentences I find curious or rhythmic, random lines from radio or television, stunning statements that make my mind stop and wonder…stuff like that. Oh, that I would keep them in folders or a file box, but no, I grab whatever’s handy and scribble them down for ‘safekeeping’ to mull over later...

On March 25 of 2020 my Close to Home column featured a poem about the twenty-first century ‘maturing’ even though the pandemic found us craving comfort foods and searching for security blankets in the midst of the unknown. This Ripley Countian questioned the preponderance of it all...

May 29 is National Paper Clip Day, established in 2015 by whom I could not find, though coming out of the woodwork are more than 50 names of individuals who received patents for various versions. Oddly, the paperclip we’re most familiar with was never patented. It was manufactured in England in the 1870’s by the Gem Manufacturing Company, though the trademark ‘Gem clip’ was registered in 1904 by Cushman and Denison, a New York manufacturing company...

Thoughts dart here and there, hop then stop to meander among memories for a few seconds, then scramble on with a puzzled plea for direction. That’s a sneak peak into my head as I search for a column topic. I can make monstrous obstacles out of simple tasks, which is no surprise to family and long-time friends. ...

“School’s out for summer!” (You of a certain era saw that line and sang it - in your head and then out loud, right)? That’s from an Alice Cooper hit released in 1972, in the midst of my college days. I didn’t dislike school, but it was a nice change of pace in the early 70’s, a break from the rising pressure to decide what I wanted to be when I grew up. I was well on my way to being just that, but I was still major-hopping, overwhelmed with so many intriguing options...

It was a gradual thing, unchaining myself from Walmart, the reverse to developing an addiction to roaming the aisles mindlessly whether or not I purchased anything. Early on it was to me what a smartphone is now - the device we reach for when we feel boredom settling in...

Comfortable or trendy? Comfy and quick usually takes precedence, but I finally tried tucking in only the front of my blouse. With a jacket, I looked tucked in all around. That’s not the point, though. It’s not supposed to look that way, and jackets come off. Front tucks are a bit of visual trickery with an acceptable effect. However, my Marine fella - obviously oblivious to trendy styles, wondered aloud if I knew I was untucked...

The dictionary needs a new entry, at least I think so. Words - pronunciations, spellings, definitions, usages - are exceptionally intriguing to some. We’re an informal club. Membership is involuntary (we just can’t help it) and secretive (it IS a bit weird) until we stumble on another feeling our pain as we explode at one more faux-pas or someone catches us repeating a word aloud because we like the way it sounds. ...

Tomorrow is OUR day! Look around this Correspondence page of The Prospect-News to understand. April 18 is National Columnists Day. Readers of this weekly publication can count on regular submissions from these same individuals in every issue. Some readers thumb through the paper and skip over it. ...

Visits to Ripley County to visit grandparents were adventures with a couple of distinct variations. Momo and Popo Pearson lived on A highway deep in snipe country. There were clusters of woods and lots of fields, tons of gardens and lots of pigs. And ponds...

Impulsivity is a trait often frowned upon by those with structured, organized lives. I realize creatives can be organized and structured souls can be spontaneous, to cover my seemingly-always-at-loose-ends self. But, if fate has paired you, a spontaneous creature, with a heart on the other end of the habits spectrum, that could serve you both well if you find yourself in or near Ripley County, Missouri for the Total Eclipse on the Current...

At dawn recently, I delayed turning on the radio and starting coffee, postponing the rustle of usual morning routines that would interfere with nature’s melodies filtering through the slightly open windows. To escape the roaring fridge and the whining cat fountain, I tiptoed to the door, avoiding the creaky spots in the floor. ...

Writer’s block…unrelated focus…oversleeping…lost calendar…Pick one to partially explain why my column is late and rushed. Of course, if you’re reading this on March 20, you won’t know it was late, though you might sense it being hastily written. Writer’s block torments me only in the pursuit of fiction. ...

It’s a complicated-looking term - grapheme-color synesthesia. Those with this diagnosis perceive numbers and/or letters with colors. I’m troubled by numbers. Period. Seeing numbers in color would not help me understand them any better, I bet. The confusion would still be there, but with less stress...

There are a lot of us around, folks who tend to see their glasses half full, with replenishment pending. Part of my personal optimism is the perhaps naive belief that there are tons of jobs requiring the education and training of experts who know more about their particular fields than I do. Consequently, I trust those experts and their products and services...

Once upon a time mom and dad took us to Arkansas. In my early life, we lived on A Highway close to the state line. We visited nearby friends, attended church at Mt. Pleasant, went to the big ol’ Supply store, used the ferry. I even rode a school bus to Maynard just for fun, way before school age...

Surprise your Valentine with some creative twists to the usual celebrations. Keep your partner’s preferences in mind with a little extra planning and thought to create special memories. Consider these ten creative ideas and add your own romantic touches...

I came across a fun new word: imponderabilia. It identifies those things we cannot evaluate exactly. My mind applies it to aspects of life I find confounding. Thinking on imponderabilia doesn’t clear up confusion or provide profound insight. It stacks up, hanging around waiting for purpose, just as memorabilia does. ...

My nose is cold, as are my toes, layers reign, with robe over clothes. When will the thaw come? No one knows. Not saying, though, “My water froze.” I’ve tired quickly of TV shows, When I turn it on, soon I doze, imagining, as the wind blows - dreaming of hums when neighbor mows. Reading…time well spent, I suppose. Fun, suspense, villains and heroes. Getting too hot, flinging the throws, then chilly, buried in burrows...

At this writing, a wintry blast with a variety of precipitation and frigid wind chills driven by fearsome bone-chilling breezes is forecast. By the time this P-N issue hits the newsstands, I might not get to hold the actual newspaper. I’ll gratefully read it online if I choose to remain indoors...

When my life seems ho-hum, I rifle through a stockpile of scribbles searching for column ideas. That backfired today. I grabbed the seed catalogue instead. Have you seen one lately? The Whole Seed Catalog is a compilation of art and almanac, dream book and planning guide. It might seem a procrastination tactic, especially since when it comes to gardening - flower or otherwise - I’m in the appreciation/dreaming category...

Minds are abstract entities - defying intricate study yet producing non-stop outcomes. Brains house them, mostly. Brain cells are also present in our guts (tummy/intestines/colon) and make up the enteric nervous system. This isn’t an anatomy lesson; that’s beyond my comprehension. Is this why we have ‘gut instincts’ periodically?...

Anticipating 2024 is …*Peeking through cracks in a door still closed. I recall questions for 2023 I posed. *Putting the cart before the horse. Impossible to know the details, of course. *Realizing how much this year was gained and lost. No way to measure heartfelt costs. ...

As I ponder this magical holiday season, memories of isolation during the peak of the pandemic - and changes in protocol in so many arenas in the aftermath - haunt me. Masked faces with wary, weary eyes met me everywhere. Muffled words obstructed craved communication. I sensed a sad and scary season...

Remember Dr. Leo Buscaglia? You may, but not for his Navy stint or his three degrees - but for his moniker, the Love Doctor. That title pushed the popularity of his books (five of them NYT bestsellers at the same time), the waiting list for his seminars at the University of Southern California and his glorious appearances on PBS specials...

AUTHENTIC is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2023. Checking its definition surged as a lot of us, apparently, looked for assurance that it hasn’t become an archaic adjective. As we barrel into 2024, our dictionaries will gain more words before the year’s end. That makes me think about words and phrases from a century ago - this one in particular: ‘Do you know your onions?’...

‘Tis the season of list-making, reminder-posting, recipe-finding, party-going, secret-keeping (or sharing, as situations warrant, like in searching for gifts), hiding-place securing and shopping-trip scheduling. Black Friday ushers in frenzied and rushed days, even for those of us not working and raising families...

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving 2023. I sat for several minutes staring at that short independent clause as my fingers alternately drummed the keyboard and rubbed Scooter’s ears. The idea that this is my 70th one is dumbfounding. Though far from best pals (I’ll be forever suspicious), AI and I are warming up to each other, so I flattered it with a question. ...

Progress on clearing my space has been greatly hampered by the time of year. Perhaps I should rephrase that. Evidence…of my progress is elusive, thanks to (1) the annual END of daylight saving time, (2) the pending arrival of sweater weather and (3) a Facebook meme that motivated a detour...

When ‘gratitude’ is mentioned, I think right away of the word ‘thankful’ as specific occasions come to mind when I experienced or expressed gratitude: no one being hurt in that horrific rollover just after crossing the river at Bridgeton when I was in college; giving birth to my son; missing that big buck on a dark Arkansas road...

“Will it go round in circles? Will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?” Those lyrics came to mind when I discovered tomorrow, Nov. 2, is Look for Circles Day. Curious. Today, however, is National Authors’ Day, a legitimate one endorsed by Congress. Nellie McPherson, president of the Bement, Illinois Book Club, conceived the idea in 1928. The club celebrated it in 1929 and Congress made it official in 1949...

A ‘wow’ feeling, a quick swiping clean of whatever is on my mind so it seems blank for a second to take all in without distraction, and a slight sense of regret that I can’t make the moment last longer… That’s how a magnificent sunrise or a vibrant sunset, a child’s laughter or sounds of glee from a table of adults, makes me feel. In those moments I don’t want fumbling for a phone for a photo/video to steal away the awe...

The day looms large with much to do, views to treasure, tasks to measure. But why does it seem there are moments too few? I’ll pause on my porch. In life, lots to kick up a fuss. The world’s a mess, leaders are stressed. Millions face futures of moments dangerous. I’ll pray on my porch...

The Doniphan High School Class of 1970 held a casual multi-year celebration of its multi-year connection at Float Camp on Sept. 30. We were gung-ho about reunions early in our postgraduate lives with major weekend productions. Then after our 25th or 30th (?) - years begin to run together and memorabilia is who-knows-where to check - we were busy with children, careers, grandchildren, aging parents, health declines and retirements...

October is such a treat for the senses, and our senses are strong nostalgia triggers. I’m reminiscing as the memories pop up. “October, baptize me with leaves! Swaddle me in corduroy and nurse me with split-pea soup...[no thank you, tomato please]. October, tuck tiny candy bars in my pockets and carve my smile into a thousand pumpkins. O autumn! O teakettle! O grace!” (Rainbow Rowell)...

Myrt and Vester are uncommon names. For individuals so named to become a couple makes the monikers more notable. They were Aunt Myrt and Uncle Vester to me though they were no kin. In reminiscing about our connection, I realize its origin is a mystery. I never thought to ask...

“Will you be using your mobile app today?” Hearing that in the drive-thru rankles me even though employees are complying to training. I’ve been labeled a demand-resistant sorta soul, which explains my “By-golly, I-will-NEVER-be-using-that-mobile-app-since-you-obviously-really -want-me-to” attitude. (Now and then I have the slightly sinister inclination to download it just to order and pay for a large cup of ice water - if that would even work. But I digress)...

Recently I attended the Difference Maker Banquet to honor area individuals who contribute in significant ways to community needs. None honored do what they do for glory or recognition. Their actions are inspirational. Ten Ways One Person Can Make a Difference...

The collywobbles are settling into my brain. I find myself holding my head in my hands at the mention of Artificial Intelligence (AI), then burying my skull between my elbows when my mind can’t figure out which escape route to take NOT to hear more about it...

The song on the car radio as I left my driveway one steamy August morning was “This Magic Moment” recorded by Jay and the Americans in 1968. (If you’re of a certain age, you may know it was recorded by The Drifters in 1960 - written by Jerome Pomus and  Mortimer Shuman)...

WOW! Now and then I’m awestruck by the scale of creativity shared by folks in these foothills of the Ozarks. Not all of them are schooled in conventional ways. Many are self-taught masters of their particular fields as much as those with degrees and apprenticeships...

Serendipity - a term I seldom hear. When I do, I gloss over its meaning, sliding right on by its history and delight. Horace Walpole coined it in the mid-1700’s after stumbling upon an ancient Persian tale called “The Three Princes of Serendip” while searching for something else. It means experiencing positive events by happenstance or finding beneficial, happy things you’re not looking for. The word boasts a day of its own - Aug. 18...

Browsing in a hardware store is high on my list of fun activities. Who knew there were so many gizmos and gadgets holding my world together. Stepping across the threshold on a mission to find a particular widget highlights a frustrating challenge for folks like me who lack basic understandings of how mechanical contraptions work. It’s easier to find answers to “Whaddya call that thing that…?” if you can complete the question intelligibly...

At the moment - roughly five days before this newspaper shows up in stores and mailboxes - we’re in the midst of a sticky summer heat…wave. I could say heat ‘snap’ and you’d know what I mean, but it’s an odd expression, just as ‘cold wave’ would be. But… we say cold snap and heat wave and saying it vice versa is unconventional, might raise eyebrows, so we don’t...

Is my experience like yours? Very few times am I totally lost in a moment without thinking about time or my to-do list, the next cat feeding or deadline. But there are those times when total fascination with the moment clears all else from my brain...

Summertime conjures up memories of sunburns and swimming pools, backyard barbecues and baseball, neighborhood games and nap times - all sorts of fun with family and friends. That applies to my city roots as well as to my life as an urban transplant to Ripley County. There is a common denominator then and now to my summertimes. It just ain’t a proper one without excursions just for ice cream as well as a few impromptu at-home times in front of the AC and TV...

Tomorrow - 6/29 - I will celebrate seven decades on this earth. WOW! To me, that number used to symbolize mediocrity in everything BUT age. In years-alive it registered as an impossibility. I never imagined myself being THAT old.  But tomorrow I will be 70. It certainly isn’t mediocre to still be around to witness the world’s advancements at warp speed. Witnessing them doesn’t mean I understand any of it, though. Comprehension is elusive...

It was called the BEST exam, for Basic Essential Skills Test. Eighth grade teachers designed lessons with real-world applications. Alas. Experts deemed it necessary to ‘improve’ the hands-on approach in record time and it disappeared from curriculums...

You’d think the first vivid memory that’s truly mine - versus those triggered by family stories or photos - would be of the birth of my ornery brother here in Doniphan. A Dr. Johnson delivered Glenn in the hotel/hospital/radio station getting a lot of TLC and Facebook time these days. I was four and a half years old. In my head, though, I’ve never been without him. Six months later we were back in St. Louis in time for me to start school...

Today, without a second thought, I swished a couple of granddaddy longlegs off some petunia blossoms. Maybe I had half-a-second thought, to make sure neither of them landed on me. One summer at grandparents Robert and Cecilia Pearson’s place on A Hcighway, I had a brief encounter with one that WAS crawling around on me and my cousin Gayla as we shared a lawn chair under a shade tree. ...

Periodically I reflect on items and concepts vanishing from twenty-first century life. A somewhat startling consequence for me is the revelation that my baby boomer brain has adjusted. After all, consider how quickly and efficiently tasks get accomplished these days...

It’s not technically summer, but I couldn’t wait until the solstice in June to cut my grass, much as I would like to see the other wildflowers that might spring up - for pollinating purposes you understand. They take turns appearing on the summer stage, and I’ve noticed butterflies, bees and a hummingbird or two flitting around their blossoms as well as around the potted flowers I have here and there...

Have you ever met a pack rat? I’m talking about the actual four-footed, sorta scary critters that create confusion and concern about ghosts and poltergeists in the households they adopt. Disappearing objects and unexplained noises make human imaginations work overtime...

Help me out. Critique this bit of poetry. “A light in the night, a flash of green, A silent visitor from up above, A sight to behold, a dream unseen, A mystery that’s yet to be solved.” That’s just the first verse of a final draft. Here is the second verse: “Piedmont, Mo., a town of small dreams, A place where people are kind and true, A place where anything is possible, A place where a UFO may come true.”...

C. L. Fonari created the holiday celebrated on the third day of May. In certain circles she is known as the garden lady; she is also a writer, a radio personality and a speaker. The holiday is Garden Meditation Day. At first it sounds a tad uppity. I took a master gardener’s course but I don’t remember all the fancy botanical names nor the scientific reasons gardens benefit from certain things being done a certain way. I endured simply to learn more about hollyhocks...

From the outset I’ll state that I probably don’t have a clue what I’m talking about here. I haven’t read an entire article about this topic. I’ve tried, but by the second or third paragraph, thoughts race and anxiety ensues. I’ve typed ‘writing programs operated by artificial intelligence’ only once in a search bar then scanned the list that ranked the top 8...

I’m gonna walk on the wild side, at least for one day. I might: (1) take off in my pickup truck before daylight to watch the sunrise from a brand new spot; (2) wear a tie-dyed tee I created; (3) walk a new-to-me trail; (4) dine in a Japanese restaurant; (5) stay up past my bedtime to watch an old scary movie...

I’m gonna walk on the wild side, at least for one day. I might: (1) take off in my pickup truck before daylight to watch the sunrise from a brand new spot; (2) wear a tie-dyed tee I created; (3) walk a new-to-me trail; (4) dine in a Japanese restaurant; (5) stay up past my bedtime to watch an old scary movie...

“Will it go round in circles, will it fly high like a bird up in the sky?” Do you recognize that line from a Ringo Starr melody? To be a copycat…I got a poem ain’t got no rhyme, gonna share it with my friends. We hear often about the circle of life but our time here on this planet is full of lines from the time we go online till we go offline...

Have you experienced JAR moments? I’m having some that are trying to expand into JAR days. These are times when something Just Ain’t Right. Stepping outside this morning into the spring dampness, birds were flitting about, others were chirping their ditties, squirrels were making a fuss and playing tag and the stray cat came galloping toward the porch eyeing the pocket I usually pull food from...

Aren’t we an odd lot? We are as infinitely different as snowflakes are, yet universal truths exist among humans. One of those is reaction to change. It’s mindboggling how noisy we can become when facing it. Prehistoric beings adhered to successful routine strategies for survival, yet they endured massive changes for the same reason. ...

There’s a particular sunset I still recall because of the awe I felt. That word AWE pops up frequently. This week I received a link to a NYT article by Christina Caron about British author Katherine May and the power of awe. A certain sentence stuck with me...

It’s not a true national holiday - no presidential proclamation or official seal - but perhaps it merits such attention. It’s National Proofreaders Day. From scribbled or texted grocery lists to the complex legalese of corporate and political documents, additional read-throughs are paramount...

My brain is overwhelmed with options! Tons of intriguing rabbit holes to explore and so little time today. There is this church ladies lunch…so with a deadline looming and type time shortened by the mid-day destination, focus I must chase rabbits another day...

You might think it quite a leap from church ladies to spunky old broads. In case you forgot, February is Spunky Old Broad (S.O.B.) month. In 2021 I devoted a column to specifics about its founder and ladies who have served as annual calendar girls - Dolly Parton, Katie Couric, Helen Mirren and 2023’s Kamala Harris, to name-drop a few...

Where I became acquainted with my first church lady Anna Mae Carrens - Pitman, Ark. - is close to Doniphan, so when my family moved here, I was in familiar territory. What a surprise that she was the secretary at Doniphan High School, so our paths crossed again as I enrolled for my senior year. As she was the pianist at First Baptist Church, I would once more sing in a choir she accompanied...

My mother wasn’t on my childhood list of church ladies. That seems an odd twist, since she was the one mainly responsible for my participation in all things church-related. And she is most likely the reason my church spankings stopped when we moved to the city. How did she convince me to keep my fidgets to a minimum?...

Mt. Pleasant Church in Pitman, Ark. is where my preschool concepts of church life and its people began forming. (It’s close to Supply and takes its name from the ferry that crossed Current River nearby). Some vivid memories include huge pews and swift walks with dad  on a squeaky wood floor to the perilously tall front steps out the imposing front doors. ...

Twenty years ago I was in a weird holding period. I had a large lump in my breast. I had known for about a week. I also knew I had my yearly pap smear appointment on Jan. 16, so I was talking myself down. I was telling myself, “I don’t know enough to panic.” The next month and a half were filled with that mantra. Then I knew I had  stage 1 lymphoma.  I’m not going to lie. I panicked a little...

Who among us is not aware of zones? Many (well, those older than Gen Z’ers) might have first noticed them as they studied to acquire a driver’s license after that milestone 16th birthday. Speed zones are stressed. Work zones and school zones slow us down, too, we hope...

Epiphany - it’s my word at this moment. As you read Close to Home on Jan. 11, realize I wrote it last week. Epiphany is my tomorrow as I type, but the day commemorating the arrival of the Magi to Bethlehem had already passed as this went to print. The word also has a generic definition describing a moment of insight. Thanks to my feline friend Scooter, I’ve had an epiphany today...

As I ripped a section of parchment paper to line a cookie sheet to make toast in the broiler….(I have a toaster but cinnamon-sugar toast is tastier from the oven)…I realized I had never seen my mother or my grandmothers use it. Wonder why? I do remember the first time I saw it listed in a recipe, so I added it to the ingredients to purchase. Since the solitary remaining box was tucked at the end of the grocery shelf, it took a while to find the item new to me...

It’s not mom’s fault. One could surmise that I, as the first-born of first-borns, might stubbornly balk at tasks needing to measure up to overachievers’ standards. But, no. I didn’t balk exactly. I just didn’t listen if I wasn’t particularly interested in the activity at hand. I did just enough sewing to get the desired Girl Scout badge. It did not involve a machine, an overwhelmingly complex contraption to my mind in 7th-grade home ec. ...

The date on this issue of The Prospect-News is Dec. 21 - the winter solstice. In school I learned what the earth does on this day. What stuck with me is that it marks the shortest day of the year. Seems a bummer, but maybe not. Last week we had several consecutive days with no sunshine. If that is the case today, no matter how brief the daylight, nighttime will seem forever away. A bright day vibrant with light that seems to pulsate will truly seem ultra brief...

“Tis a curiosity that so many aspects of daily life in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s have dropped off the radar. This in the midst of contemporary life with so many time-saving advances. And amidst continual whining that we don’t have time for anything these days...

Because of its neuroplasticity, my brain can benefit from my participation in its care. It’s constantly changing anyway, according to Richard Davidson, a psychologist and neuroscientist, and I can help if I “transform my mind.” First, that plastic-ky aspect of my gray matter is a relatively new discovery. It became widely acknowledged in the 1960’s. Its identification came before I did, but it took a while to catch on...

Do you rummage through time capsules this time of year? I do. One is mom’s Better Homes and Gardens cookbook with handwritten recipes on pages from a letter-writing tablet - creased and greased by multiple referrals over the years - stuck within its pages...

My introduction to Missouri deer season occurred in 1975 during my first year of teaching in Ripley County, “We have an extended school break for WHAT?” I’ve not heard a consistent answer that makes sense to ME, but I did learn that no one messes with that part of the school calendar without a lot of hassle, and maybe a bad dream or two...

I’d be the first to admit I’m not farmer material; however, my eight years owning one rank right up there as a highlight of my time on this planet, one with adventure, learning, awesome beauty in the unexpected and yes, a bit of chaos for good measure...

One might expect this St. Louis native from The Hill to proclaim “Long live toasted ravioli, cannoli, thin crust pizza and spaghetti with secret homemade sauces,” but I’m not typical. The aroma of beans, fried potatoes and cornbread coming from mom’s kitchen was the only enticing recognizable layer of kitchen scents that swirled in the neighborhood in the ‘olden’ days of open windows and humming fans...

Just call me Predicament-Prone Pearson. No one ever said that out loud to me when I was growing up, not that I was temperamental or anything silly like that. These days it IS said out loud. I could add Lucky Tee Lee to the list of nicknames since none of my predicaments have been too traumatic, just frustrating and inconvenient for me and sometimes for the ones who come to my rescue, and usually comedic in hindsight...

Autumn 2022 portrays a landscape that surprises and pleases every bit as any I have experienced. (I’m aware that each year I think THIS one is the most striking). Perhaps it seems true this fall since precipitation has been erratic and sparse, covid variants and disasters - natural and otherwise - cloud perceptions. Viewing the vivid colors is a grand relief. Something is working as anticipated...

Moments of frustration in honor of the day: 1. Not being able to delete an unidentifiable document mark (UDM) from the screen. Could indicate trouble ahead. 2. Trying to feed Mr. No-name the feral cat who zig-zags in front of my feet, seriously impeding progress to his plate...

Americans love October and celebrate it with jovial boldness. How? (1) Decorating with wreaths and centerpieces reflecting Mother Nature’s colors. (2) Hosting bug-free campfires and serving pots of chili. (3) Creating traffic on usually isolated backroads wearing hoodies and ooh-ing and aah-ing at the vivid landscape and the wildlife that call it home...

Are we over-obsessed with those who seem to overdress, overdo, overeat and…overthink? The problem might not be with the ones overobsessing, overdressing, overdoing, overeating or overthinking, but with the ones delivering the verdicts. Remember hearing, “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right”? There you go. ...

Six years ago I shared observations from my journey into boomer-hood. Some perspectives have not changed, like “savoring the season as lightning bugs, butterflies and hummingbirds leave us” and anticipating the awesome-ness of autumn. In the midst of the boomer-hood jungle now, this old dog has learned some new tricks...

The highest wpm I typed with accuracy in high school was 45. That was on a Royal manual. On really good days with this touchy laptop keyboard I feel like I double that easily. The proud I-still-have-it-in-me moment is fleeting, though. Proofing work after a brainstorm streak knocks me off my pedestal pronto, replacing pride with aggravation...

It’s like herding cats. That’s a phrase I’m familiar with, and I’ve joked about situations being similar. Today I actually did just that. I am wore plumb out from all the corralin’ AND all the thinkin’ trying to make it easy for all. The thinking I did was for nought. My cats didn’t fill me in on their strategies for the morning’s trip to the vet...

Back in 1969 when I perched precariously on my special rock down by the creek and lamented my lot in life, a forlorn perspective dominated my thoughts and behavior. To make it worse, my little brother and sister didn’t mirror my state; they had the audacity to adjust well to life in the boonies. They even LIKED it...

Mondays get a bad rap. Though retired, I still occasionally wallow down a blue Monday path.  One particular Monday - one of those sticky, stifling Ozark mornings - the familiar Carpenters title “Rainy Days and Mondays” popped into my moody brain. It’s hard to think of a Carpenters melody and not hum the tune or break into song as the words surface. I thought a musical session might erase the brain fog trying to settle in...

It was among the snail mail. Instantaneously I sensed (1) anxiety about the process ahead, (2) procrastination strategies and (3) insecurity. The trigger? A renewal notice for my car tags. First thing I did NOT do was file it in a ‘safe’ place for ready access on the last day business could be transacted to avoid penalty. That escalates the likelihood of driving blissfully ignorant with expired tags. At some point a neighborly officer will educate you...

Its presence makes water hot, a bulb shine and a human soul keep on truckin’. Its absence doesn’t make the appliance or the human worthless. A water heater still disperses water, a light bulb still screws into a socket and a soul still fills a void...

There’s lots of talk these days about just how hot it really is. The hottest temperature recorded in our state so far was July 14, 1954 when the thermometer reached 118° in Warsaw. That’s a ‘fer piece’ from our neck of the woods but that same day the mercury rose to 115° in my hometown of St. Louis. So it was probably hot in Doniphan...

I’m gonna blame it on the heat. A tree popped up outta nowhere in my front yard and I backed into it. Though not a bad bump, it was in a bad place so a new hatch was ordered. I was fortunate to be able to borrow a car for a week. (A ‘thank-you’ to that individual)!...

“A hundred in the shade and no shade.” Dad said that. He truly didn’t seem to mind St. Louis’s steamy, sweltering city summers. He didn’t seem to mind sweating, either. I have memories of him pushing our rotary mower - a workout even in milder temps - then trimming around the edges of sidewalks, trees, flowerbeds and garage with hand clippers while wearing his undershirt and long pants. ...

Summertime means watermelons, or it used to. Now they’re heavy and cumbersome, too big for the fridge and too much for one to eat, not to mention messy to cut and eat. You won’t hear me complaining, though, if I’m offered a freshly-sliced chunk of cold watermelon with ready access to a salt shaker. It’s the fuss I dislike, not the flavor...

A year shy of seven decades…a half-century plus a score, almost…3,600 weeks and two days…25,202 days… That’s a lot of days. I haven’t always made the most of them, but considering the big picture, I’ve had happy, busy, unique-to-me adventurous ones so far. Even stories about opportunities I didn’t grab add some flair to my life’s spin...

“Extra! Extra! Read all about it!” A familiar line from old movies…familiar to some of a certain era, I remind myself. That’s a phrase logged in my brain in the self-help file I started back in the 70’s when that was the hot trend in publishing. These names come to mind: Napoleon Hill, Zig Ziglar, Norman Vincent Peale, Richard Carlson, Stephen Covey, Brian Tracy, Wayne Dyer, Deepak Chopra, Leo Buscaglia, Robert Schuller and Tony Robbins. ...

If one considers a legacy of laughter in counting blessings, I am indeed rich. Dad had a distinctive laugh I heard often. Mom’s was less boisterous, but she laughed heartily when she was tickled about the goings-on. How precious are the memories of those times when joy was apparent in the smiles and laughter. ...

You can’t truly experience summertime in Missouri without iced tea. At this writing the temperature early on this June day is 56 degrees, more of a hot chocolate morning, but residents of the Show Me State know sweltering weather will materialize soon enough...

Mama cats are patient souls. Watching a vibrant calico deliver and mother her litter of three has been both eye-opening and amusing. She was a stray I named Juliette. I anticipated having to participate more in the whole process. Seemingly out of the blue this stray I’d been feeding for about three months began a do-si-do around my ankles as I poured food in the outdoor bowl. ...

School’s out, signaling summer. Gas prices are higher than they’ve ever been, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have any fun. We live in an area with ample potential for new and memorable activities. Check local resources and be willing to try something new...

Believe it or not, Ripley County has a museum worth celebrating on International Museum Day this 18th of May. (Yep, we really do have one, like there really is a VFW and we actually have designated fairgrounds). Randy Maness entered the chosen moniker in a museum-naming contest sponsored by the Doniphan Neighborhood Assistance Program...

A recent storm rattled my brain with the startled awakening. So far I have all my marbles, though a few are never still, as though they are magnets reacting to an unseen force. That’s thanks to a shoplifting incident in my early adolescence. Diane was having a birthday party, so Tina and I took the bus to downtown St. Louis. (Names changed to protect the innocent. I was innocent, too, though I’ve not felt that way since)...

Emotions can be good or bad, but one in particular has both. It’s the focus of a new science just 15 years old - the exploration into awe. Scientists define an awesome event as one that is transcendent - one that takes ‘self’ out of the center of the universe, changes perceptions and makes us feel connected to aspects of life bigger than ourselves...

Her family had a tavern at the other corner of our block. We didn’t go to the same school or church, so I don’t recall exactly how Ida and I came to be friends. She was Italian with the longest braid I had ever seen. Her corner was on a busy St. Louis thoroughfare - Arsenal Street - so she didn’t play outside her front door. ...

The Ozarks have seemed under the weather lately, especially if one has expectations based on ‘supposed to’s’ in warm and fuzzy memory banks. April temperatures should be warmer than winter tallies. Its days should be sunny and colorful, with the occasional serene spring showers gifting us with rainbows...

April is National Frog month. Who doesn’t love a frog? I don’t, however,  like to be surprised by one at dusk. That happens often here at the house. One will hop unexpectedly between me and my front door, stopping me in my tracks, revving up the ol’ heart rate as I catch my breath and plan an exit the opposite direction without ‘it’ seeing me, until I see that ‘it’ is only a frog. I’m a bit jumpy naturally. (Family and friends who know me well might call that the proverbial understatement.) ...

In a flash the coronavirus epidemic spread, shoving the word pandemic into everyday vocabularies while reality turned ordinary lives inside-out and upside-down. Life looked familiar but felt funny and cumbersome, so it was tossed into the hamper while the world dug through closets searching for something new to wear...

Happy Take a Walk in the Park Day! Celebrate March 30 by getting that derriere upright and moving in the outside air. Outside offers doors and windows to opportunity and insight - benefiting body, mind and spirit. It doesn’t cost a penny to walk in your own yard or neighborhood. Though it costs a few more cents than usual to drive to a city park, paved walkways and faces met in passing offer safety and social benefits. Fancy shoes and duds are not necessary...

I lived in Doniphan for several years but for about 30 years I worked within the city limits. Now I spend tons of time here. I acknowledge that it’s easy for folks like me - boomers with idle brains and time - to spout off ideas when they don’t have a clue what all is involved. There are rules, policies, regulations and restrictions galore for every aspect of life...

While skimming the wacky bizarre calendar to satisfy my curiosity and search for topic ideas, I sometimes stumble onto information new to me. Coming up is International Be Happy Day, an actual global holiday sanctioned by the United Nations. Each year the UN selects a theme for this special day on March 20...

We will set clocks to ‘spring’ forward at 2 a.m. on March 13 this year. That is not an accurate statement, now that I think about it. I am one of many who, in times past, managed to set only one clock correctly before going to bed the night before Daylight Saving Time kicked in. Then I would spend weeks, maybe months, playing guessing games with the other clocks in my life - on the stove, in the car, on entertainment devices, etc. That was less challenging than figuring out how to reset them...

Sometimes a gal needs nothing more than a new pair of boots. I have a plain pair of black gum boots, pretty ugly and pretty old but functional. They are what I needed to trudge through muddy barnyards and yucky feed lots during my farm days. My parents each had a pair of serviceable boots. ...

Get comfortable in a favorite chair, book in hand, cat in lap…and the phone rings from the adjoining room. Decide to use cash instead of card, come up one dollar or one dime short. Use card. Get back into car and see one dollar in cupholder or one dime on the floormat...

“You can’t judge a book by its cover.” That’s a phrase I’ve heard a time or two. My generation often assumed a variety of ‘truths’ based on appearances and language. It was drilled into me growing up that I had only one chance to make a first impression...

I love you as you are, Messy, imperfect, Mixing laughter and joy With worry and strife. You have stayed with me a while, Being awesome, teaching, Surprising, meddling In my thoughts, keeping me On my toes, with style. You march on with such patience...

Though I enjoy life as I can amidst swirling pandemic clouds and virus storms, my road down memory lane is well-traveled. I won’t argue that with anyone. Many times I’m prodded by clever marketing strategies. Especially enticing to me are triggers targeting my sense of smell...

When you know a secret, what do you do? (Not those secrets….nobody shares those secrets…right)? I’m referring to baffling situations that have solutions not everyone can find easily. Like algebra problems. I had classmates who could whiz through those assignments like eating cotton candy with no trace of sticky fingers when they finished. ...

My car starts when I press a button, lights come on when I flip switches, the oven bakes my brownies, the fridge keeps my sodas cold,  Scooter will climb in my lap wherever I sit…I count on these actions without a thought.  The dependable aspects of life that make my world go round smoothly are taken for granted. They are the things that enable my body and brain to create and cope when a new factor appears or something gets out of kilter...

During this pandemic we’re all growing so tired of, anxiety aggravates me way more than my little brother ever has. “Mom, he won’t stop   me.” Mom isn’t around to scold him and rescue me, so I learned to rescue myself and create some laughs. But this anxiety nuisance is out of hand. No one applies the brakes and rescues me and I seem powerless in coping...

Last week I heard of a new trend, a disappointing one in my opinion. The past two years have been unlike any I’ve known. How do our children feel? The older ones have memories of how life used to be structured. Younger kids have a different normal...

“Cornfwakes, Mommy! Cornfwakes!” To be fair, Anthony had probably seen more cornflakes than snowflakes during his then two and a half years, but he had the right idea. We were unloading decorations from our little trunk of goodies, and he was bouncing all over the room. He was old enough to catch the excitement about the Christmas holiday and he was chatting away. My cassette player was recording it all...

When someone holds the door open for me or speeds up a bit to make that kind gesture, I always smile (if masked, I AM smiling) and say thank you, sometimes repeating it to make sure my appreciation is heard. I’m off the hook for recalling names in such instances since the aim is not to block a doorway. Back in the car and on the go again...

Once in a while a conundrum pitches a tent and hangs out until I take action. Since today, Dec. 8, is National Brownie Day, and my most recent challenge was directly related, here goes. First of all, I don’t remember my grandmothers making brownies. ...

Fate? Coincidence? Not sure. A random stop at Vintage Village Flea Market helped me resurrect a family joke dating back to 1971. I was a freshman at Southern Baptist College roaming around in Walnut Ridge with college pals. At a sale overflowing with colorful Mexican flower pots that everyone used in macrame planters, I found a single, grand, ornate, old-world, gold-tinged maroon and white vase - about a yard tall - that I thought mom would love! I hid it in a trash bag with my dirty clothes. ...

Guidelines for healthy living I’ve learned from the cats in my life. We didn’t have a family cat until I was 14. He was a Siamese living with us on the top floor of a two-story flat in St. Louis. It’s bizarre that I can’t remember his name. He was unhappy most of the time. ...

I spent years erasing chalkboards. It was not always an easy chore to wipe away the evidence of a productive day: questions, right and wrong answers, student insights and assignments. Panic crept in at the thought of no words in colored chalk to kick-start creativity, productivity, responsibility and purpose in myself and others. That seemed my reason for being...

November can be cold, damp and dreary, but that doesn’t interfere with the influx of hunters pulling campers and ATV’s through town to settle into the deer woods of our share of Mark Twain National Forest. Once upon a time I might have been impatient with the mini-jams at convenience store gas stations as pickups with trailers maneuver to and from the pumps, with longer checkout lines of camo-clad customers, with out-of-towners sitting in ‘my’ favorite cafe spot...

It started with learning to fold my daddy’s handkerchiefs. Even though she would iron them later, momma took the time to let me ‘help’ with that household chore. When I was old enough, those handkerchiefs would help me learn to handle the iron and create sharp creases rather than ugly scorch marks. (It was a while before I graduated to ironing actual pants and shirts)...

I have been doing something healthy without having searched a kajillion self-help books to learn about it. The ‘something’ boosts my mental health, therefore positively impacting my physical health, too. What is this mysterious action I intuitively incorporated into my life? I added a ‘third place’ to my activities. The terminology threw me off at first, but everyone needs one. Home and work are places one and two. A ‘third place’ provides connections, balance and fun...

I’m enjoying a cup of coffee as I type. I should rephrase that. I am HAVING a cup of coffee. It’s a ritual I did not start early in my adult life, otherwise I might actually like it. The first few cups sampled over decades were so full of other ingredients that they probably didn’t deserve to be called coffee...

Like many others, I enjoy the entertainment and practical information provided by cooking shows. Listening to a recent NPR interview of Stanley Tucci sent my mind hopscotching around childhood memories and added a movie and a memoir to my ‘gotta check this out’ list...

Plain English please! We might think that when reading through political paraphernalia and legal documents. And assembly instructions! Just as confusing when diagrams look like a 3-year-old drew them and don’t match items in hand. Online instructions? My home Internet visits netherworlds at will despite strong WiFi, meaning screens freeze or fade in the midst of how-to’s...

For reasons over my head, rebooting WiFi routers periodically is advised. That is an action I finally learned to do BEFORE seeking assistance when I had tech issues since it was always the first suggestion. Now it’s recommended to do so now and then to avoid usual issues and more. Maintenance and prevention ease and sometimes alleviate problem-solving...

I have a message for the company that bakes our beloved Hostess snacks. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” These days I rely on the consistency of my comfort food choices. Some flavor variations mess with more than just my taste buds. A Twinkie with a berry filling is criminal. The visual assault was almost as vicious as the one my taste buds endured...

I might appear a bit ragtag today and for good reason. That’s exactly how I feel, thanks to Scooter. Perhaps I should re-phrase that. It isn’t the cat’s fault. NOTHING is ever the cat’s fault. For instance: On the desk, stretched out comfy and proud, is the cat eyeing you with the judgmental expression that says, “Thought I’d help. This is how you clean off a desk.”...

Before you stopped to read this column, maybe you flipped through the pages of The Prospect-News searching for and enjoying parade photos. Labor Day seems to kick off a parade season. Ahead we have the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York. Who says adults can’t still enjoy oohing and ahhing as the huge balloons go by on TV?...

I haven’t been to a large Walmart in a long while, since way before COVID germs were a deterrent. Visits to a mini version are sporadic. I’m sure Halloween infiltrated an aisle or two weeks ago, judging by online ads and quick sashays into area Dollar General establishments. We are not taking seriously the reminders to be mindful of our moments - our PRESENT moments!...

When I choose reading material these days, I veer from things academic, political and... stuff that creates controversy. If I happen to comprehend morsels of anything written by an expert, I am confounded by other experts who take opposing stances. When an article comes along that gives me lots of rabbit holes to explore, a sort of intellectual nod to my personal experience and expertise, I go for it...

Rituals are mixtures of necessity, awe, comfort and celebration. They affect a child’s development and provide enough routine to help us big kids stay grounded. We older big kids cherish the connections to our roots they provide. Here are some of mine...

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…” How timeless are those words that Charles Dickens used to introduce Tale of Two Cities! They peered around a corner of my brain as I stressed over ways to reduce stress. DNA impacts my high-strung tendencies, but there is hope by using new strategies to hold anxiety in check...

This last week of July as some folks squeeze more road trips or float trips into the fleeting days of summer, recollections of ones we took and lamentations for ones that never happened might pop up. Days get busier, nights slip by, calendars fill up in spite of efforts to experience a bit more summer fun...

The wacky calendar has gone totally so, since it declares that both July and August are national picnic months. Maybe someone forgot to proofread. In the meantime, let’s have one! Picnics can be...*outings planned in detail ahead of time or spur-of-the moment events to spice up dog days of summer (July 3 - Aug. ...

FYI - This is National Pandemonium Day. It’s defined as noisy confusion or disorder. That might imply that such uproars involve lots of people. Wrong.  I am the queen of solo pandemonia. (That is a word. So is pandemoniums, but that sounds funny). Pandemonium will occur when - not if - my laptop misbehaves. ...

The way I see now is pretty darn near exactly as I saw during the last eye exam. No change in prescription is necessary, though I ordered an additional pair of glasses. A recent bout of knee vs. lens, with lens losing to a pop-out, convinced me I don’t want to waste even five minutes in a search for a pair of dollar-store glasses stashed in supposedly handy corners to aid in such emergencies. The second pair will also help me drive in the dark, which I have avoided doing as much as possible...

“Another Day in Paradise” hit radio stations in 1989. Those of a certain age can hum the tune immediately at the mention of the title as the lyrics surface. I heard the Phil Collins masterpiece on 99.1 KQJN-LP last week. As I sang along, the words startled me as though I were hearing them for the first time...

Reading news of the upcoming auction of West Park Mall in Cape Girardeau, Mo., which opened in 1981, triggered some memories. I got a kick out of emphasizing the isolation of Doniphan by lamenting that it was a couple of hours from the nearest mall. At least that was the case when I moved here in 1969...

I wasn’t a shoe-in for a daddy’s girl. I was early, tiny with a powerful set of vocal chords and cute enough, but as I grew toward toddlerhood, mom often dressed me in ruffles so all would know I was a daughter. There were no auditions for daddy’s princess with a bald head, buggy eyes and prominent ears. By the time I had a bouncy ponytail, expressive eyes and almost normal ears, my attitude, supported by those strong vocal chords, put me in the running instead for daddy’s little terror...

“I will let it warm up a bit before I start mowing.” Wait...WHAT? Yep, I said that. Oddity for sure, feeling comfortable in a long-sleeved shirt or hoodie at the end of May. I could add, contrary to the norm, ”I will mow first in the sunny patches.”...

Summer 2021 isn’t officially here but I am already longing for those “Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer” described by Nat King Cole in his 1963 hit. Perhaps I adjusted to the slower pandemic pace of 2020 more than I realize. Of course I’m rejoicing at the welcome roll-back of eased restrictions but the options for summer outings seem overwhelming!...

$34.2 million. That amount was spent four weeks this spring (last two weeks of March through the first two weeks of April), JUST ON LIPSTICK! That figure represents an 80 percent + increase in sales over the same period in 2020. As we adjusted last year to drastic lifestyle modifications at home, work and school, the cosmetic industry perhaps accurately measured prevailing moods. ...

Boy oh boy, a few minutes of listening to news or skimming through it online can drive us to frenzy! Remember, in times like these: Sorry, frenzy. I am trying to reduce my trips...

I try to make choices sublime. I research and fuss all the time. The lines get so blurred From ‘fact’ to ‘I heard’ That surely I could lose my mind. Eat catfish deep-fried or not so. I search for the experts, you know, But chef or a doc, My tastebuds or clock?...

In  the far corner of an upstairs closet buried under a mound of shoes, I found a treasure. Dollarwise it wasn’t worth much - just a plastic sewing box with a broken lid. The usual notions camouflaged contents mom deemed priceless -  bits of paper preserving precious gems of her memory. ...

I admit to struggling mightily not to cry as I returned the cart to Harps at Hillcrest Plaza on its last day. Shopping wasn’t the intention; meandering down memory lane was. Figured I would stroll through, buy a Twinkie and a Coke and be on my way. But shop I did, grabbing items not normally in my field of vision - like colored toothpicks, Brillo pads and large boxes of matches - and picking up the usual cheeses, chips and crackers, forgetting the Coke and Twinkie...

This week I made a quick trip - about 26 hours from departure to return - to celebrate a special day at a favorite location with my fella. It was a step back onto the stage of life after an extended intermission. It was plan-pack-drive instead of lights-camera-action as play resumed...

Impulsive and spontaneous. Know anyone like that? Those traits are subject to bad raps by those with structured, organized lives. Impulsivity describes more emotional responses whereas spontaneity describes creative approaches. I’m not saying creatives can’t be organized. ...

The covers felt sooo good this morning! Technically it was one cover. I have already put away the warm fuzzy blankets. Knowing how fickle Mother Nature can be, and because I hate lighting it, the ventless heater is still on, so one cover was sufficient with Scooter the cat curled at my feet...

Why is it we cave and do things we’ve told ourselves we won’t? Reasoning is a trait that distinguishes us from animals, or is it ignoring reasoning that is the determining factor? Wait...now I have to know. What is the difference between instinct and reasoning?...

If I went to a local hardware/paint store and asked for a can of Forsythia Yellow, I bet I would get a raised-eyebrow grin as the clerk and I headed toward the paint section. (That’s a look I see often,  mostly in hardware stores since there are pots of gold overflowing with tons of stuff I don’t know the names or uses of. What I think I need is usually there after a treasure hunt)...

March 20 is the UN International Day of Happiness, a ‘holiday’ since 2013, with a theme even! The year 2020’s theme “Happy Together” was an unfortunate twisted premonition chosen BEFORE the pandemic was a global reality. Staying safe meant isolating from anyone not under the same roof. ...

Remember the first time driving on Missouri highways 160 or 19? Experiencing the month of March is like that. Psyches get a workout. Anticipation reigns. Driving curvy hilly roads one can’t help but wonder what the view will be at the top of a hill or around an S-curve. ...

During the recent horrific cold spell, Lots in my life helped me manage well. Stuff starting with ‘C’ played an important role In dipping temps not taking a toll. Careening across the porch on all fours, Early day one, going out the front door, Made me later take much greater Care...

It’s February so you can call me an SOB. Had I known a special day was allocated for SOB’s - the first day of February - I would have been more prepared and kicked off SOB month in grand SOB style. I might lack one qualification to be a Spunky Old Broad of the caliber of 99-year-old Iris Apfel since I am only…well, I’m not THAT old...but one can have aspirations. ...

Trees intrigue me. To see and ponder seasonal changes, I drive around regularly to check on favorites and find new ones.  When one disappears, it’s sad. I wonder what was wrong. Did weather create conditions that overpowered it? Did it acquire a disease? Was it in someone’s way? ...

I’ve noticed a pattern in the memories that pop up daily on my Facebook timeline. It is troubling. Anyone looking over my shoulder might deduce traits of my personality that contradict reality. My frequent viewing of these posts has led to a nose-dive in my self-esteem, mainly because I am well aware of the situation...

Are you noticing the January effect as I am? No, I am not scurrying to invest more in the stock market - the usual meaning of that term. I’m referring to the effect January has on moods and outlooks, at least on mine. Dictionary compilers should concoct a definition that addresses it...

What if one tiny little prerequisite was added to the list of qualifications for being a presidential candidate - one that would be anti-discriminatory regarding race, ethnicity, gender? What if a wanna-be leader had to have coaching experience in any competitive sport?...

It’s not an archaic idiom; it’s first recorded use was in the 1970’s. My way or the highway doesn’t usually evoke a positive reaction because it is not usually spouted in a positive way.  Early in my existence I was introduced to the concept, though those exact words weren’t used since I pre-date the 70’s,  just a little bit.  Not always a cooperative child, I often heard Dad’s no back-talking, no but’s rule. I had to do things his way - period. ...

Remember the hoopla associated with roaring into 2020? In my mind the anticipation was dimmed slightly by a calendar conundrum: Were we ending or beginning a decade? The tendency to slightly overthink the trivial as well as the profound didn’t overshadow the fun of finding a flapper dress and accessories to dance what I tentatively decided  was ‘into’ a new decade...

The year 2020 is finally at end With none of us feeling sorrow. We’ve many fears to settle, lives and hearts to mend, Hope for a brighter tomorrow. We welcomed the decade with pomp and circumstance, Expecting fun and health and wealth, Hailing a past century with costumes and dance,...

I can do it. I can be like Elf on the Shelf. I can be Self on the Shelf. I can BE STILL. (I first typed ‘Sit Still’ but, boy-o-boy! Did that conjure up some memories! Somehow dad trying to ensure I did meant we created a much bigger ruckus than had I been allowed to wiggle, but I digress)...

My brain is bamboozled. The end of 2020 looms, and aren’t we ready for that! The holidays are upon us, and even the scroogiest among us finds SOMETHING to smile about, even if only in reminiscing. So why, oh why, is it so challenging for me to come up with a column topic? Maybe it’s because there are tons of (1) causes to support, (2) stories to share, (3) opinions to flaunt, (4) emotions to sort, and (5) recipes to dig out and enjoy during the season...

It’s probably a circumstance that a practitioner of Freudian psychology would quickly identify as a trait of a super-healthy ego, but I would argue - a trait of my hard-headedness - that ANYONE’s ears would perk up hearing their name. The radio was tuned in, but my attention wasn’t UNTIL I heard Teresa, or so I thought I heard. ...

I’m eager to rip the December 2020 page off the calendar. I could simply toss what’s left of it, but no way. I’m going to make a big deal of seeing the old year out as the new one enters. It needs a big yank with a stern grip, then a tight wadding into a ball to toss 20 times into the trash can, with some dunks and slams thrown in for effect. ...

My role in the fifth-grade French skit was to pull the tablecloth out from under the dishes, leaving the table settings intact. To incorporate unpredictable outcomes into the action and dialogue, we had to learn ALL the vocabulary and prepare for improvisation, since I couldn’t guarantee the same results yank after yank in rehearsals. Winging it produced lots of laughs along with the messes...

Our November election is next week. Into the future I cannot peek But if I could, what would I seek? Answers for all, peace for the meek. It isn’t yet Halloween As I ponder what will be seen. News coverage has been keen, American trust unusually lean...