You don't usually think of a bullfrog as a pet, but I had one back in the 1980s. I remember him well. I never checked his gender, but he looked like a “he” to me. He lived at our house for about three years. Let me tell you about him.

I sent away for a bullfrog pollywog from a company that sold water lilies. One was all I wanted. We had built a cement goldfish pond in our backyard. It had a waterfall that came out of an old pitcher pump. What a perfect setting for a bullfrog.

When you need more than one pound of hotdogs, this is a good way to fix them. Whether for a potluck or a picnic, they will be hot and ready when you need them. I prepared frankfurters, or hotdogs, this way when I was doing the Wednesday night suppers at church. They hold well if the meal is delayed or if you are driving to the lake. Leftovers can be reheated after cooling in the fridge. They should all be eaten by then.

Boxelder bugs can make a nuisance of themselves by gathering around the house in large numbers. They usually do this in the autumn in preparation to move into protected areas to over-winter. While they do not cause physical damage to the house, they may stain walls and curtains with brown fecal matter.

I have a friend who has recently received the shock of his life. It’s a personal matter, so I won’t use his real name to relay the story. I’ll call him Mortimer.

Sonja DuBois is a hidden child surviving the Holocaust. She was twenty-two months old when her parents were deported to Auschwitz and never heard from again.

She has written the book, Finding Schifrah after her Hebrew name, about her quest for her identity. The author is available to give presentations about the Holocaust and WWII.

DuBois will present Preserving the Legacy at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S Gay St, Knoxville on Tuesday, October 22 at noon. A book signing of her memoir Finding Schifrah will follow.

Author Randall Carpenter will be one of the talented exhibitors at the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair to be held Wednesday, October 16 through Monday, October 21.

Carpenter will have five of his books on hand for sale and signing, and several framed and unframed writings. The fair will be held at the Gatlinburg Convention Center. Admission is $7 for adults for an all-day pass. The Convention Center is located at the corner of Traffic Light 8 in Gatlinburg.   

The 15th Annual Union County Heritage Festival offers a multitude of ways to just do more fiddlin' around on Saturday, October 5. With three venues and three music stages, there will be sights, sounds, and activities for all ages.

Orderly progress appeared to be the theme of the Union County Commission Meeting on September 23. Chairman Jason Bailey and Vice Chairman Gary England were re-elected to their leadership positions by acclimation. Commission approved the minutes and notaries as usual. Grants, building improvements, and finance highlighted the Mayor's Report.

At the September meeting, Union County School Board voted to extend Dr. Jimmy Carter's contract for four more years. School board attorney Mary Ann Stackhouse explained that his current contract would not have expired until 2020 since the same contract had been extended in 2013 to 2017, in 2017 to 2020, and with no changes, the current contract would be extended four more years to 2024. Brad Griffey from the Second District authored the motion. Casey Moore could not attend due to work responsibilities.

Here are some tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household.
Make sure your child’s backpack weighs no more than five to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders, by the straps.
The backpack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.