When my only half-brother on my mother’s side passed away, he told his wife he wanted me to have his books. I received quite a few, but there was one in particular that his last spouse favored and made sure to keep for herself. I hope that book has brought her much peace and joy throughout the almost ensuing decade following his departure. It is not I who will go to the grave knowing I failed to fill one of my dying spouse’s last wishes, and I certainly don’t miss what I never had.

Who hasn’t heard the difficult or traumatic stories of family members as they were growing up? Usually I received them when I complained about something:

“The power’s off. I can’t watch TV.”

“It’s raining outside and I can’t ride my bike.”

You get the idea.

That’s when my Mamaw Jo felt the need to tell me about her childhood difficulties. The one I heard the most was: “I had to walk to school for miles in the blinding snow.”

When was the last time you left the comforting lights of your home or campfire and stepped into the darkness? Familiar places take on a mysterious look. Colors vanish and the world closes in as your view becomes limited. You begin to depend more on your ears as your eyes fail. It can be a little spooky, and yet adventurous. Ever since that first campfire man has become addicted to light. We don't feel comfortable outside of the illumination of electric lights, flashlights, or fire. The darkness has become a foreign, forbidding place.

Earlier this year, I did something I had said I was going to do for a long time—see if anyone—absolutely anyone—among web hosts supported FrontPage.

I can hear the tech folks out there right now, laughing their heads off. Still, I was serious. When my, then, current web host quit the FrontPage extensions some years back, they suggested I use FTP. I used one for a few years, even while the web host was pushing me to switch to Word Press. Finally, even the FTP (file transfer protocol) quit moving my update successfully.

A few days ago I heard on TV that beans could become the new meat if meat prices continue to climb because of the virus. I hope not. But if you would like to prepare for that sad day here is a meatless recipe for you. You can eat it as an entree or make a wrap out of it with a flour tortilla, some shredded lettuce and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Try it and see what you think.

Here is another old-timey dessert. It is a favorite of mine because it takes cocoa instead of unsweetened chocolate. I always have cocoa on hand. It's an easy one to do in the oven. Be sure to serve it warm. You can fancy it up with Cool Whip or ice cream.

Union County High School’s Coach Larry Kerr is planning to step down from the head coach position of the Patriot Football team. While many would think this may shock the players or rock their world, the players would disagree. They have been expecting this and know what’s in store for them in the future.

Union County High School graduates took to the football field Saturday, June 6, at 11 a.m. to receive their diplomas.
Students who worked hard to achieve beyond what was expected or demanded deserve recognition, as do all graduates in the class of 2020.

Lumbar disc degeneration and resulting lower back pain become greater concerns with age and disproportionately affect women over men, likely as a result of decreasing estrogen levels during menopause. A new study demonstrates that vitamin D deficiency, smoking, high body mass index (BMI), and osteoporosis are risk factors for greater back pain.

Most people associate butterflies with flowers, watching them tranquilly sipping nectar like royalty. However, you may also see butterflies hanging around less savory food.