The mourning dove (Zenaidura macroura) is truly an All-American bird that can be found from coast to coast. It is brownish gray in color and around 1 foot in length with a wingspread of 20 inches. The dove has a long, slender tail that is white bordered and a black spot behind the eye. The species is monomorphic, meaning the male and female look alike. Birds that show distinct differences between the sexes are classified as dimorphic.

The spirit of Mayberry is set to take over downtown Mount Airy, N.C. once again as the annual Mayberry Days returns September 21-27, drawing fans of The Andy Griffith Show from across the United States and beyond. The weeklong celebration honors the enduring legacy of Andy Griffith and the small-town values that made the fictional Mayberry a beloved part of American culture.

Were you there? Did you miss it?

Santa was sporting his summer look - trimmed hair and beard and a summer-weight Santa suit! The day was perfect, sunny and warm without being humid, and no snow. And the Farmers’ Market vendors were ready for the holiday.

He sat there looking at me through blurry eyes from playing games on his laptop computer until the wee hours of the morning. His hair was multi-colored like a rainbow and spiked with the top flowing downward which made his head appear to have a small umbrella sitting on top.

He was around six feet tall, but very slender with no apparent muscle mass which a seventeen year old boy should have because of hormones, but because of his sedentary life style and intake of mostly junk, processed food, and lack of exercise his maleness looked suspect.

When the Edsel was introduced in 1957, Ford Motor Company believed it had created a car that would become one of America’s most successful new automobiles. Instead, the Edsel became one of the most famous unsuccessful gambles in automotive history. Although the Edsel disappeared from production after only a few years, its unusual styling, innovative technology, and place in American automotive history have made it a highly collectible classic car today.

September is recognized nationwide as both National Recovery Month and National Suicide Prevention Month, offering communities an opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and remind those who may be struggling that help is available and hope is real.

Although these observances focus on different issues, they share a common purpose: encouraging people to seek help, supporting individuals and families affected by mental health or substance use challenges, and fostering communities where everyone feels valued, connected, and supported.

Typically, when I write articles, I try not to make them feel overly theological. I want them to be practical, relatable, and applicable to everyday life. But this one may hit a little differently. Recently, I was restudying the opening chapters of Genesis, and something jumped off the page that I had never really considered before. Most people are familiar with the story. God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and gave them tremendous freedom. They could enjoy everything He had created with one prohibition: they were not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

About half of older men suffer from sleep problems, back pain or both, according to Soomi lee, Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State. Lee recently led a study to investigate whether one precedes the other and found that back problems can predict sleep problems years later in men over 65 years old.

My mom has always had back problems. Through the years, I have come across many others who have suffered from that as well. While I did feel sorry for them, I didn’t fully realize their pain. That recently changed.

Saturday, August 29, from 6:00 - 8:00

Learn about overdose prevention and lifesaving community and recovery resources.