I’m not a farmer. Never claimed to be a farmer. Yes, I’ve done some farm work. Back in my youth (50-60 years ago) I worked every hay season for a neighbor farmer in exchange for free hay for my horses and goats. This was back when you picked up the bales from the field and tossed them up into the hay truck. Then later picked them up from the truck and tossed them up to the hay loft. I did have a one-acre organic garden for many years, trading my produce for things I did not grow. Eventually, though, I grew tired of starting each day by picking bugs off plants.

I receive many emails. At least half of them are what I call email “commercials.” They pretty much immediately go to my trash folder. Several months ago, I received one of those emails, and though it went to the trash folder, the subject line did give me something to think about—expectations versus desires. As we enter the unknown wonderland to be known as the year 2025, this week’s article will focus on desires.

Winter is a good time to prune most trees because they are dormant and their leaves are off, making it easier to see how the branches are laid out. Here are some general guidelines to help keep your trees healthy and more attractive.

1. This is the most important tip I can give. DO NOT LEAVE STUBS when you prune. Trees are wired to heal at branching intersections, so always, always prune where branches or twigs meet. That is where the tree will properly scab over, but if you leave a stub, it will totally screw up the healing process and lead to decay. End twigs should be pruned back just above a bud.

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. In large skillet, cook ground beef and chopped onion over medium heat. Break up beef into crumbles until meat is no longer pink and onions are tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain and return mixture to pan. Stir in evaporated milk, whole milk and soup mix.

The Union County Opry's annual Christmas show was a whole lot of fun and a great success. The set was beautiful and the performances by the kids from Big Ridge Elementary School and Southern Taps Clogging were excellent. The house was packed as the enthusiastic audience filled almost every seat. The Union County High School was full of the spirit of Christmas. And in that spirit, almost $900 was donated by the various audience members to the Union County Lions Club to help them continue providing free eye exams and glasses to all who cannot afford them and do not have insurance.

Low back pain treatment guidelines by the American College of Physicians (ACP) recommend first using non-invasive, non-drug treatments before resorting to drug therapies.

These new guidelines by the American College of Physicians support a growing body of research as well as increasing recognition in the health care community regarding the value and effectiveness of non-drug approaches, such as spinal manipulation, for acute and chronic low back pain.

“Have a Mary Christmas!” I told many people this when I was a small child. Often, they would chuckle or furrow their eyebrows. To me, these reactions were confusing. That is until my mom realized what I was saying. She informed me it was “Merry” and not “Mary.” I didn’t even know merry was a real word. I thought people were saying Mary because she was Jesus’ momma and Christmas was about Him anyway.

Welcome, Dear Reader, to 2025!

How strange that date will seem for the first few days or weeks of the year. As with most things, the “new” will wear off the new year quickly, returning us to the same rituals and rote responsibilities from which we have had somewhat of a reprieve during the holidays.

Hopefully you and I will not feel it necessary to turn to therapy to help us cope with life in 2025. Regrettably, not all people are as fortunate as others, and there are those who find therapy and counseling necessary to navigate the stresses life can bring.

In a blender, puree the drained cashews and next 7 ingredients until smooth. Set aside. In Dutch oven or large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion. Cook and stir until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, cook 1 minute longer.
Add asparagus, broccoli and carrots. Cook until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Christmas is probably the most tradition-packed holiday there is, and over the years I’ve enjoyed chasing some of them down to find their origins. The Christmas stocking goes way back, and its origin is nothing like the large, ornate sock shaped bag of today that is hung up on Christmas Eve so that Santa can fill it with small toys, candy, fruit, and such.