When I was small, the closest I came to a body of water was when we drove across the bridge over Bull Run Creek.
My mother was terrified of water, so I was surprised when one day she agreed to go to the Norris pool with our neighbor. I was 12 years old at that time. To this day, I remember clinging on to the side of the pool with one hand while peering into to the clear water. I wanted to overcome my own fear of the water so I could learn how to swim and join my friends playing in the pool. Who wants to stay on the sidelines and watch the world go by? Not me.

As a child I loved Halloween.
What a fantastic fall celebration for a kid. Dress up like any kind of thing you want, real or imaginary.
Go around the neighborhood, knock on your neighbor’s door and get free candy.
Parents let kids eat all the candy they can hold, plus you get to trade candy with your siblings or friends for days on end.
Every kid is like a Willy Wonka on steroids!
Well, in a perfect world, that is the way it should be, that is the way it “almost” was when I was a kid.

Folks who would like a taste of some wild food ought to get out and hunt persimmons this time of year. They are abundant in our area and easy to find in fencerows and woodland edges.
There are many varieties of persimmon trees in tropical areas of the world, but only two in the United States. The one growing in our area is called "common persimmon" (Diospyros Virginiana), or "possum tree" by some.

“Antibiotic Free” “No Antibiotics Ever” and “No Added Antibiotics” are commonly seen phrases in the meat department of any grocery store in America. You will often find meats with this label sold at twice the price of other options.
Which one is really better?
The answer is simple: either one. Chances are they are exactly the same. It is against federal law to sell meat with unsafe levels of antibiotics.
There are several measures in place to prevent antibiotics from reaching the public through their food.

"GMOs are perfectly healthy" was the last sentence on the opinion on GMOs in the October 2019 Historic Union County.
Really? Where is the data? Where are the independent, peer-reviewed, long-term studies that support this statement? There are none, that is why you can't find them!

Not so long ago I had a conversation with Union County Mayor Dr. Jason Bailey.
His Honor and I were discussing his late grandfather Elmer Bailey, who was the son of a good friend of my father, Jim Bailey. I was aware that Elmer lived in the old Rose Hill School.
Jason offered me the opportunity to visit the old school—a thrilling venture for me—as there are very few of the old one- and two-room schoolhouses left.

When you work in public school systems, you get used to numerous in-service and professional development sessions. If you are a teacher of specific subjects, they are very useful, but if you are a librarian, some of the sessions might seem irrelevant. (Sorry, but math teaching methods was not relevant to me.)

We all have certain holiday memories that we hold dear. Then there are those that just won’t allow themselves to be forgotten completely, even when we want them gone. I will explain.
My husband and I decided early in our marriage that our family would consist of two children When the Lord blessed us with a handsome boy, followed by a lovely girl, we were certain we had made the right decision.

Thanks again to my author friend Jared Jackson for his hard work in rounding up all the fun things we can celebrate in November.
This month, have some fun with friends observing the important and unusual in November. Looks to me like November is geared to readers, writers and giving thanks, and I am all about that. Not sure I care for Fibonacci Day on November 23. (I hate math.) Anyway, enjoy!
The month of November has all this. Who knew?
•  National Novel Writing Month
•  Family Stories Month
•  Military Family Appreciation Month

Luttrell Elementary School would like to recognize some outstanding students and their achievements during the first nine weeks of school this year.
Perfect Attendance:
Mrs. Stephany's Pre-K class - Beau Lawson, Caiden Blankenship, Hayden Cooke, Nathaniel Tharp, Phoenix Scarbrough, Gage Tallent, James Naylor, Keela Kiser, Brooklyn Canada
Mrs. Sarah's Kindergarten class - CJ Bougard Jr., Dee Braden, Brooklyn Mingie
Mrs. April's Kindergarten Class - Kenzlei Lawson Vanessa Miller