Hi neighbors. It is definitely summer! Let’s be careful when outside; but let’s not let the heat keep us from having some outdoor fun ... in moderation. There is always a lot to do in the summertime. Recreation hits its peak. There are hundreds of things to do and dozens of places to go. Just remember to move your activities to a later time of day – that’s why we have Daylight Savings Time...

Hi neighbors. I hope you like mid-week holidays because July 4 falls on Wednesday this week. Although several may take off the following Thursday and Friday to have a week-long weekend, most workers will celebrate the single day and return to their routine afterward...

Hi neighbors. Tomorrow is Father’s Day! Although the modern celebration is well-known in America, the concept of a day to honor fathers is shared around the world. Some researchers have claimed it a special day for centuries. It seems one thing we have in common around the world is the fact that we all have fathers...

Hi neighbors. Summer is always kicked off in Vernon County by the Vernon County Youth Fair Rodeo. What great fun that is! Following right on the heels of the rodeo is the exciting and educational Bushwhacker Days! Celebrating Nevada and Vernon County’s history, Civil War battles, and subsequent growth, Bushwhacker Days offers plenty of entertainment and fun for the entire family...

Hi neighbors. I’m enjoying the cooler air today (Thursday morning) after last night’s rain. Tonight I hope to go with my friend Doris to Music on the Square and watch Matthew Harper perform. The first full week of June, Bushwhacker Days will be going on and followed by Flag Day on the 14th and then Father’s Day on the 17th. Although it feels like we’ve been in the middle of summer all of May, summer doesn’t officially start until June 21. I don’t see how it can get much hotter though...

Hi neighbors. Today kicks off the Memorial Day weekend for 2018! It’s the weekend for family gatherings, backyard barbecues and visiting relatives. Many will celebrate Memorial Day by placing small American flags on the graves of deceased military members and flowers on graves of other deceased family members...

Hi neighbors. One of the best holidays of the year is here tomorrow. Most of those who still have living mothers and/or grandmothers will stress out about what gift to give and when to give it. So much angst seems to go along with anything to do with mothers...

Hi neighbors, happy Cinco de Mayo! It has the distinction of being the only Mexican historical holiday celebrated in more states in America than in Mexico. One resource stated it is only celebrated in one state in Mexico. That’s OK. All of us like a mariachi band here north of the border; and we surely all love tacos, nachos and other famous Mexican dishes...

Hi neighbors. The month of May is near and we all know what that means. Busy! There is spring cleaning in the house which includes cleaning out the garage to locate the patio furniture and cleaning out the sheds and planning for the first of the season’s yard sale. With all that stuff you cleaned out of your closets, storage bins, sheds and garage just sitting around in the way you should have plenty to have a garage sale...

Hi neighbors. Surprises can be fun, and we all love those special occasions when our friends or family surprise us with the gift of a party, a meal out, or simple gifts. But we all get surprises we don’t appreciate sometimes. Remember when in school and in an apparent afterthought, the teacher smiles and tells the class to sharpen their pencils because she is handing out a pop quiz!...

Hi neighbors. Do you recall the early “Where’s Waldo?” craze where you had to look at full-page pictures of people and objects to find a thin man in a striped shirt and hat? It’s still a popular game to play with children in waiting rooms because it keeps them concentrating on something they don’t have to push across the floor and furniture...

Hi neighbors. Another week has joined the endless parade of days, weeks, months and years that seem far into the future, then are suddenly at our doorsteps, then just as quickly a part of the past. I was talking with my daughter this week about how a parent’s concept of time changes once the child starts their journey through the school years. ...

Hi neighbors. Many people plan and hold Easter egg hunts for children and adults on Easter Day. Tomorrow is Easter this year and I hope everyone has their candy, rabbits, chicks, and chocolate ready for the events. Although the ground might be a little wet to hide eggs outdoors under the bushes, indoor hunting can be as much fun for the children...

Hi neighbors. March is here! There are some celebrations special to this month. Women’s History Month, National Nutrition Month, Irish-American Heritage Month and the American Red Cross Month. Irish-American Heritage Month offers much recognition of this ethnic group who helped form American culture. Saint Patrick’s Day is only one day, but Irish-American heritages are celebrated all month. Check your ancestors. Most likely there is an Irish link in there somewhere...

Hi neighbors. I was watching a documentary on television this week that spoke of various cultures around the world who have learned to cope with extreme weather. There were people living in the deserts, on the high plains, in jungles and on the tops of mountains...

Hi neighbors. Another Valentine’s Day occurs next week. If you have anyone in your life that you love, don’t forget to let them know how you feel. Although for some, Valentine’s Day may have references only to romantic love, I feel it also is a day to celebrate all expressions of love for those people we care for...

Hi neighbors. I hope we all got to enjoy the brief spring-like weather this week. The only thing dependable about the weather is that it will change; so don’t box up your winter coats yet. Still, it was nice to get a break from the single-digit temperatures...

Hi neighbors. If you are not frozen solid, rejoice. March 20 will arrive eventually. If you didn’t notice, the freezing weather started on the first day of winter. Maybe we can hope it will end on March 20? Or maybe we can hope it will end a little sooner!...

Hi neighbors. I guess the flu is here in full fury. What can you do about it? Mostly, if you don’t have it, don’t go around people who might have it. Places we all go, grocery stores, shopping centers, convenience stores, out in public cafes to eat, the theater!...

Hi neighbors. After all the hoopla and parties, 2018 is here and ready to get down to business. It’s a little funny when you think of the image of the new year arriving as a baby. I don’t know who came up with that scenario to begin with, but we expect a lot from the new kid...

Hi neighbors. Although we have had some cold, windy days, we have also had some nice ones. Enough nice ones to decorate the house and yard. Do you put up simple, colored lights on your roof or do you go all out with lights, a sleigh and reindeer, inflated snowmen or elves, candles lining the sidewalk and lots of lighted animals shaped from wire frames?...

Hi neighbors. My daughter shared with me a box of letters she had purchased at an antique shop. She didn’t know anything about the person the letters were all addressed to; but she was intrigued that there was an entire box of them; all dated in the early 1950s...

Hi neighbors. I have declared this week the longest week of all. Although the actual hours are the same as any other week, time slows down and the world spins slower. What makes this week different? This is the week (this last week is the referenced week) when the temperatures drop. ...

Hi neighbors. Last Saturday I attended my first high school reunion to celebrate 50 years since our graduation in 1967. Out of a class of 65 graduates, 31 showed up and with their partners, a total of 51 people attended the dinner. I did not attend the annual Black Walnut Festival parade that afternoon. My class did participate by riding on a float in the parade. Sorry I missed it, but it just couldn’t work out...

Hi neighbors. There is a touch of cool in the air! I haven’t started the furnace yet; but it’s sounding like a better idea each evening. I suppose it shouldn’t be a big surprise since it happens every year. Still, I’m never quite ready to give up the 80 and 90 degree weather...

Hi neighbors. I’ve spent this last week in Iowa with my daughter and her family. It is always great fun to “drop in” to a life similar to my own 35 years ago. My granddaughter has her own car now and drives herself to high school and then back home. It is almost a half an hour’s drive each way. She is an observant and cautious driver and I am very proud of her skills...

Hi neighbors. I think the secret to a happy life is the determination to let yourself be happy and to find some good everywhere. We all know people who are never happy. Their attitude is always sarcastic and critical. Their demeanor is always withdrawn and paranoid. Unfortunately, we all have these feelings ourselves now and again. Life does take a toll on people...

Hi neighbors. I saw a show today about a volcano that has erupted twice, once in 585 or there about and again several centuries later, and almost killed off everything on the planet each time. The first time caused an ice age that lasted several hundred years and the second brought on a couple of centuries of the Dark Ages...

Hi neighbors. Happy Labor Day weekend! Summer is not officially over according to the seasons but according to most of us here in the United States, fun-in-the sun summer time is done. Unless you have seasonal working hours you won’t tell much difference in going to work; it’s the time before and after work that changes with the seasons...

Hi neighbors. Every year I am amazed at how quickly the summer passes and how soon school starts again. There are some students who at least act like they don’t want to return to school, but most are eager to get back to the daily routine. Knowing that there will be things to learn, things to do, friends to see each day and a social lunch make most ready for school to start...

Hi neighbors. With August moving right along, we still have a couple of summer weekends before school activities take over our weekends and evenings. I hope we can all get out and see the great outdoors. A friend and I were talking about typical Saturdays of our childhoods. We both had grandparents or parents who took their hen eggs to market on Saturday. I remember my grandmother talking about her “egg money” as her basic funds to buy groceries...

Hi neighbors. There is a commercial currently on television with a background song that got stuck in my head. Finally the lyrics came to me from long ago (although I still can’t remember what they were selling on the commercial.) When I finally remembered the song lyrics, I recognized it as a one of those rope-skipping or hand-clapping songs from my childhood. I turned to the Internet to see what I could find out about it and to help remember the complete lyrics...

Hi neighbors. It occurred to me today, while trying to figure out the date, that July is more than half over! I determined that I would develop a new habit while the weather is good. I then concluded that this new habit could carry on into fall and winter...

I got a frantic phone call the other day from my friend Flossie. “Nancy!” she whispered so low I could barely hear her. “You have to get over here right away! It’s not safe for me to leave the house, and I’m afraid to stay here alone. Hurry!” She hung up after these few hurried, hoarsely spoken words...

Hi neighbors. It’s difficult to believe that it is time for fireworks again. The years go by more quickly each year it seems. I hope you are part of one of those families that get together for the Fourth of July each year to celebrate Americans’ freedoms and commemorate the costs of and joys created by that freedom...

On May 31, President Donald J. Trump proclaimed June 2017 as Great Outdoors Month. Most of us recognize Missouri is the perfect place to enjoy the great outdoors. Between hundreds of lakes offering boating, fishing and water sport fun, camping areas with scenic and historic sites, state and county fairs with much to see and do, rodeos, singing and dancing performances, Civil War reenactments and hundreds of local museums and points of interest: Missouri has it all! And most of it is always within a days drive.. ...

Most of the Bushwhacker celebration is over, but the finale is worth sticking around for. Saturday, as the final day of Bushwhackers each year, is the day to be on the Nevada Square. Booths offering crafts, food, games artwork and other creations are operated by local clubs and organizations, as well as vendors from around the four-state area...

It’s finally here! One of my favorite holidays, second only to Thanksgiving, Monday will be Memorial Day. Many people gather with their families for the long weekend. I hope that will be the case with all of you. Some of my favorite memories are spending Memorial Day weekend at my grandmother’s farm. My family and I lived in Wichita and all of my cousins lived in Missouri so holidays were always get-togethers for the extended family...

Hello neighbors. During the warmer days in spring and summer, many people like to take trips to the local lakes and rivers. People with boats like to go either sailing or motor boating, others like slow moving boats for fishing and others like boats that scarcely move at all for spending a weekend on rather like a camper on the water...

Hi neighbors. I hope everyone gets to visit their mother for Mother’s Day. I hope all mothers get to see their children on Mother’s Day. Unfortunately there are those mothers who have never had children, or have lost their children through death or estrangement...

Hi neighbors. May is here and what a month it will be! Two big holidays this month are Mother’s Day on the 14th and Memorial Day on the 29th. In case you’ve forgotten, both of these traditionally involve flowers. With all of our rain, I don’t know if the flowers in our yards will be blooming by the 14th and even the 29th is iffy if the rains don’t let up. Better plan ahead...

Hi neighbors. The ever quoted “they” say that spring turns a young man’s fancy to love and we all know what is demanded of love — chocolate! I did some research and ran across a 2008 article in the Smithsonian.com website about the history of chocolate. On comparing this article by Amanda Fiegl with several others on the Internet, I’ve compiled this research to share with you. I hope you enjoy learning all about chocolate, and use it to express spring fancy you may be afflicted with...

Hi neighbors. Driving around town last year I did notice several people still put out lawn gardens. Not enough for selling at the market, but enough to have fresh produce for your own table and a little to spare. Some people have larger gardens planting enough to harvest and save back by canning and freezing...

Hi neighbors. Happy April Fool's Day! I think Mother Nature pulled one on us since we've had a week of April showers before April even arrived. I suppose we can now look forward to May flowers -- unless they arrive a month early as well. It seems people have been celebrating one form or another of "Fool's Day" since the 1500s. The origins of our modern April Fool's Day go back to the 1700s but even that seems a little tricky...

Hi neighbors. Spring is finally here and I can't wait to get my houseplants back out onto the porch. They always look so out of place in the house, I can tell they are longing for the great outdoors. Well, longing or not, out they go as soon as all threats of frost are over...

Hi neighbors. Is it too much to hope that winter has finally folded its tent and left Vernon County to allow spring to blossom? Time will tell. As with most things, resolution only comes with the passage of time. Patience is a virtue I have been told, and I have figured out there is no difference and no preference when patience is involved. It doesn't really matter if you have patience or not; actually patience isn't something to "have" or something to achieve...

Hi neighbors. Don't forget to turn your clocks ahead one hour tonight when you go to bed. It's time to "spring forward" again. Oddly enough our spring-like weather may turn the clock back to winter standard time with threats of cold temperatures and even snow ahead this week. The weather will be what it will be, as we all know...

Hi neighbors. Although most of my columns have a loosely tied theme, sometimes I want to just chat about whatever comes to mind. Big news around the globe for several years has been global warming. Some people deny the existence of this phenomenon but most think we are fast approaching a tipping point past which there is no return...

Hi neighbors. My 'sister mother' (the agreed on connection between my son's mother-in-law and myself) and I were chatting on the phone the other day about genealogy research and reports. She mentioned she did not have a program to start a database for a family tree. I told her I would find my old program and send it to her...

Hi neighbors. Monday is President's Day. Most government offices will be closed including courts, post offices and schools. Due to the change in the laws in 1968 several holidays were moved to Monday observances to offer more three-day weekends to employees in an effort to cut back on absenteeism...

Hi neighbors. This Tuesday is Valentine's Day, are you prepared? If you think you'll just stop and pick up some flowers on the way home from work, you should know most florists run out of roses (the flower representing passionate love) a day or two before Valentine's Day. There is a language of the flowers, and if you don't know it you should learn it if you are in a relationship with a lady...

Hi neighbors. Groundhog Day was Thursday and Pete saw his shadow so six more weeks of winter weather was foreseen. Of course, the season of winter doesn't end on the calendar for six more weeks, but there's no reason to let facts like that interfere with a great tradition...

Hi neighbors. This year it looks like another weekly winter -- winter weather one week followed by spring weather the next week. This is tolerable to me. I can move my schedule around to just drive my car every other week. I can buy two weeks worth of groceries on one shopping trip...

Hi neighbors. One of my Christmas presents was the complete boxed set of all eight seasons of "Monk" the television show. Long-term readers of this column will remember when, this show first aired and how caught up in it I was. Nicknamed the defective detective, Adrian Monk was a character with multiple problems. The show begins with him just coming out of a three-year near catatonic state brought on by the sudden car bombing death of his wife...

Tonight is the night! You'd better keep your telescopes facing north and your ears open for the sound of jingling harness bells. Yes, Santa is on his way! It's much too late to wonder which side of the list your name is on tonight. Santa already has you tagged as having been good or bad...

Hi neighbors. I hope many of you got to attend the Christmas parade this year. Although it was cold, there wasn't any snow or ice as is too often the case. Unfortunately, it was too cold for me to venture out; but I did enjoy the nice photos in the Nevada Daily Mail...

Hi neighbors. I'm writing this before the election results are in; but no matter who won, I am so glad this race is over! There has been much uproar and mud slinging on both sides. People seem fevered over their chosen candidate. Now that the race is won (for one and lost for another) maybe we can all get over politics and get back to taking care of our families and country...

Hi neighbors. I hope all is well in Vernon County. This past week I have been in Des Moines to visit my daughter and her family. One of the items on my bucket list has been to ride a passenger train. Although I've never mentioned it to my family, I've also had a secret desire to ride in a boxcar on a train...

Hi, neighbors. Although the weather has been nice this past week, Hurricane Jenny hit Nevada with full force. My daughter was down from Des Moines to visit for a couple of days, and my normally uncomplicated and slow paced days were catapulted into whirlwind speeds...

Hi, neighbors. Thursday was the first day of fall. Here is some info about it from the website of The Old Farmers Almanac, founded in 1792. The first day of fall is also called the autumnal equinox and falls on the 22nd, 23rd or 24th, depending on the calendar. This is the start of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the Southern Hemisphere. (No wonder birds fly south in fall!)...

Hi neighbors. Tomorrow, Sept. 11, is best remembered for the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001, and the attacks on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. Like other national tragedies, we all remember where we were and what we were doing when we got the news...

Hi neighbors. I hope you are enjoying the last long weekend of summer. Labor Day weekend is heralded as the last summer fling before the fall schedules lock us all into our autumn and winter routines. Many families celebrate together with reunions, backyard barbecues, short vacations and trips to the lakes for boating, fishing and skiing...

Hi neighbors. Time shuffles on. Although Solomon stated that there is nothing new under the sun, every September television producers try to change that truth. The new fall season starts on television! Actually, a few things have already started. Zombies are a big draw again this year -- at least the producers hope to keep the dead half alive another season. ...

Hi neighbors. My daughter sent me pictures of her and her family at the Iowa State Fair via email today. She lives just a block away from the fairgrounds and goes every year. Usually friends and family converge on her home for a two to four day stay to attend...

Hi neighbors. Now is the time to really appreciate the free days we still have till school starts again. It won't be much longer before weekends will again be the only time to plan for family outings. School will start soon and the daily routines for all family members will again revolve around that activity. Planning, shopping and scheduling seem to become a full time job for the family secretary. In most families, this job description falls on Mom...

Hi neighbors. August is here and the countdown to summer's end is already being announced with back to school sales. How would you feel about having year round school? We already have summer school. Some could take classes scheduled for the next year and gain more credit hours for graduation and free their next years schedule for additional classes of interest...

Hi neighbors. I have never been so weary of elections as I am now with the current presidential debacle. With three months left till Election Day, I cannot wait for it to come and pass. I no longer can stomach the thought of either of the current candidates representing America as its president...

Hi neighbors. This last week I attended the funeral of a beloved aunt. She was 89 years old. She was my father's sister and was the only remaining family member of that generation. Although there was more than a 20 year age difference, we felt very comfortable talking with each other and we had become good friends. She had been home-bound for a few years but though we seldom talked face to face, we did have one to two hour chats on the telephone fairly often...

Hi neighbors. As we get older we all need help now and then. I'm at that stage in my life when I need help with certain chores around the house: mowing the grass, cleaning carpets, painting and gardening. We all have things to do that often require more than one person to get them done...

Hi neighbors. Tomorrow the Vernon County Historical Society will meet in the Bushwhacker Museum for a regularly scheduled quarterly meeting. Starting at 2 p.m., the meeting will include a presentation by Ron McMillian as "Hagaoda," the Native American storyteller. You may have seen him in the Living History tent during Bushwhacker Days...

Hi neighbors. Many people across America are having a three-day weekend to celebrate Independence Day, July Fourth. Along with picnics, parades and party going, many Americans will display the American Flag -- Old Glory -- in some fashion. Do you know how to display the flag properly? There are rules of respect for the flag. The United States Government website offers these simplified tips as well as a PDF booklet that includes more information. Here is that posting from the USAGov website...

Hi neighbors. If you are like me and don't plan on a trip to Alaska this year, you need to get ready for the heat. If you have air conditioning, use it wisely. It's time to check your house and prepare it just as you would for winter blasts. Make certain all the windows close all the way. ...

Hi neighbors. Tomorrow is Father's Day! I hope everyone has plans to spend time with their father, grandfather or other father figure in their life. I cannot imagine having a childhood without a father, or of losing a father during childhood. Yet every day we hear of fathers who never participate in family life, are never around or have died while their children are young...

Hi neighbors. It's been a hectic week with all the Bushwhacker Days events and the carnival in town. I love to hear the giggles and screams of delight as children rediscover the fun of Nevada's 52nd annual event. Although most adults work, students are out of school and eager to take in all the sights, sounds, smells and money-spending opportunities on the Square every night. ...

Hi neighbors. I hope everyone is enjoying the cool days and nights. The swimming pool will soon be the most popular place in town, next to the ice cream shops. It is a while till summer, but while it is still cool, everyone thinks summer can't get here soon enough...

Hi neighbors. Happy Memorial Day weekend! As a child growing up in Wichita, Kan., most of my memories of my father's family involve holiday trips back to Missouri when my father had a day off and there was no school. Memorial Day always involved a trip to the cemeteries, a picnic at the park and a family gathering at my grandmother's house. ...

Hi neighbors. I've spent this last week in Des Moines, Iowa, visiting my daughter's family. The weather was a little cooler than here in Nevada. As usual, I had a wonderful time visiting and spending time with my granddaughter and son-in-law as well as my daughter!...

Hi neighbors. May is here and flowers are blooming everywhere! Roses are beautiful this year and in full bloom everywhere I look. These last couple of days with warmer weather reminds us that spring is pretty much gone, with nothing to look forward to but thunderstorms and tornadoes. Summer is just around the bend. I've already had to turn on the air conditioner once!...

Hi neighbors. If you recall from last week, Flossie had determined she needed a storage shed. In the process of searching for the perfect storage shed she fell in love with the little sheds that look like houses. She bought one with a front porch and three windows and a single door. Her first decision was to put the little house on a small lot she had by a local lake. That didn't work out for several reasons...

Hi neighbors. Flossie came by the other day and wanted me to go shopping with her. She had made up her mind while having her morning coffee that day that she wanted a storage building and was determined to have it up and ready by supper. We went to several hardware and lawn and garden type stores. ...

My children and I had gone to the theater to see "Batman vs. Superman" which is a very long movie. Recently remodeled, the theater had installed new seats, which were greatly appreciated! Unfortunately, remodeling left some problems that have always been my pet peeves anyway. First, there are no bright ceiling lights on at any time; so finding a seat, or even finding the steps to climb when going in or coming out of the movie is difficult. I hope they correct this...

Hi neighbors! Although we still have some cold nights ahead, it seems spring has sprung! Now we can cautiously stop worrying about ice and snow and start worrying about thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes. On a personal note, I celebrated another birthday yesterday! It was nice to have family around to celebrate and share a movie with. It's always a shock to wake up one morning and realize you've gained a year overnight...

Hi neighbors! I've just gotten home from a vacation with my daughter in Iowa! It was great fun and felt really good to get to spend time with her and her family. While my daughter taught a couple of hours of dance lessons at her studio, my granddaughter, Alyssa, and I had a wonderful adventure at a nearby mall in Des Moines...

Hi neighbors. While at a store the other day I noticed vegetable and flower seeds for sale. It startled me for a moment because I thought it too early for thinking too much about planting corn or green beans. Then I realized that it wasn't too early at all...

Hi neighbors. This Thursday, March 17, is Saint Patrick's Day, a.k.a. St. Patty's Day or Feast of St. Patrick, and celebrates the memory of Ireland's beloved patron saint. It is both a religious and cultural celebration. The date marks the traditional death of the saint. In the early 17th century, it was made an official Christian feast day observed by the Church of Ireland, the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and Lutheran Church...

Hi neighbors. March is a busy month for many of us. We have to start planning our flower and vegetable gardens. Spring starts on the 20th; St. Patrick's Day is on the 17th. I've always heard peas have to be planted by St. Patrick's Day, even in planted in snow!...

Hi neighbors. Monday will be Feb. 29! 2016 is a Leap Year and that means one more day is added to the year. Since this only happens every four years, we should think of some way to best utilize the free day. In my opinion the day should be spent in one of two ways: doing something constructive, or taking a one-day vacation. Since it falls on Monday, we should start celebrating (at least the vacation idea) today!...

Hi neighbors. With all the high winds, many people have had shingles blow off or other roof problems. My pal Flossie came over the other day and stated her roof flew away. I asked her if she wanted some coffee although she was already having a shaking fit...

Hi neighbors. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and Monday is President's Day. A good gift for tomorrow would be a credit card to be used on Monday. President's Day was implemented in 1879 by an act of Congress for Washington government offices as a federal holiday. In 1885 all federal offices were included to celebrate. In 1971 it was determined to be celebrated each year on the third Monday of February; but was still titled Washington's birthday...

Hi neighbors. next Sunday is the big day for people in love! I hope you are prepared with cards, candy, wine, flowers, a night out on the town and a nice dinner. During my years as a reporter for the Nevada Daily Mail, each year I would do one or two articles about how various couples defined "love" and how they expressed it to their beloved. I have interviewed starry eyed teenaged couples and couples who had been married and deeply in love for more than 60 years...

Hi neighbors. While getting my papers gathered up for tax time again, it became obvious that I was not doing a very good job of staying organized. This hits me every year. I make a new commitment and stick to it for the first quarter of the year. Somewhere between the second and third quarters my enthusiasm wanes and my organizational skills start to flicker...

Hi neighbors. This week surprised us with our first ice coating. It arrived in the middle of the day so no one anticipated the first step out the door might not end well. My daughter-in-law called me to come and get her. She had fallen on the ice trying to get to her car in the parking lot. She assured me she was now on her feet again, but afraid to move. As we talked, some people came by and helped her get to her car and into it. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers!...

Hi neighbors! Although January is half over, there is a still lot of time to celebrate some of the monthly events designated for January alone. Of course, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on the 18th this year. There are programs on television, in school and other events across the nation to celebrate this man's heroic efforts to bring justice and dignity to all people in a peaceful manner. ...

Hi neighbors. We are into 2016! Do you still have to think before you write the date? How many checks have you had to toss so far? Don't worry, by August it will all feel normal. Although we have yet to have a snow in 2016, I'm pretty certain that will change in February. Until then I am happy to look out my window and see a heavy frost each morning; a little ice on the windshield that needs scrapping and cautionary frost on the back porch steps...

Hi neighbors! The countdown is almost over. By this time next week Christmas will be just another memory. Many people around the world celebrate Christmas Day as the birth of Jesus and hold religious ceremonies to reconnect to the meanings and founding principles of their beliefs...

Hi neighbors. The one thing nice about calendars of seldom known holidays and special events is that it gives a platform for some family fun. In case you didn't know, December is Bingo Month and Write a Friend Month. How long has it been since the family got together to play Bingo? A silly, old-fashioned game you say? Try it with your children and see how it goes. Tip, let them take turns being the "caller."...

Hi neighbors! Only 20 more days till Christmas, are you ready? I don't know if it's my old age, or if things have really changed that much; but it doesn't seem like people get as excited about Christmas as they used to. Shopping starts so early now, and takes away from Thanksgiving and even Halloween gets nicked in the bud by Christmas marketing...

Hi neighbors. Time is getting short to prepare for Thanksgiving. Not to even mention Christmas shopping. Do you have favorite recipes for special occasions? Most of us do -- if not recipes to cook, then favorite dishes to eat. The traditional Thanksgiving with sweet potatoes cooked with brown sugar, butter and marshmallows seems to be a family favorite...

Happy Birthday Amber! Hi neighbors. There is still time to do things outside. Better take those walks and photos of the outdoors while you can if you don't want snow or out of focus shots due to shivers. One thing I like most about fall is hearing the geese flying over, calling out to everyone on the ground the announcement that winter is on the way. "Come fly!" they honk to each other and to all of us landlubbers. I've always wished I could!...

Hi neighbors. Have you started Christmas shopping yet? Or are you one of those who have it all bought, wrapped and trimmed by Aug. 31? My children usually get a lot of their Christmas ordering done online. I do some shopping online but I like ordering from a paper catalog, and unless you order two months ahead of when you need something, you might not get what you ordered until after Christmas...

Hi neighbors. Throughout my life I have always felt that there were always people nearby to help me in times of need. I will admit to not having many close friends, but I have never ran out of helpful strangers. One day this week my friend Doris and I had gone out to take some photos of the fall leaf changes. We drove around Nevada some time, but noticed far more bag worm problems than beautiful trees...

Hi neighbors! I don't know why most big decisions need to be made in the fall. Things like insurance company plans. My health insurance plan has to be updated every year by the end of October. Large books are sent out to review. I think it would take more than a month to figure them out. I usually end up keeping the same insurance provider that I already have...

Hi neighbors. I hope you all had an opportunity to see the full Blood Moon this week! I know here in our part of Missouri, it was not very impressive, however there were lots of photos from NASA posted on the Internet. It seems people in Europe got a better view. That's OK. The Blood Moon doesn't come around often and Missouri offers just as beautiful a lunar sight to see each month...

My friend Flossie is usually a reasonable woman. However, with all the new "end of the world" scenario movies and zombie Apocalypse television shows around these days; she has become a little paranoid. She had an electronic alarm device installed in her home. For the first month she turned the alarm on just before she got into bed. By the time she settled down and started dozing off, a voice rang out in her living room "The alarm is now armed!"...

Hi neighbors. Fall is here and we still (hopefully) have a few fun weekends before the snow flies and the temperatures drop. I learned something new this week. When you have any question about anything, go to Google. Did you know several thousand readers have asked how to remove melted teapots from an electric burner and how to then clean the burner? Yes, I am certainly not the first and most likely not the last to ask that question. ...

Hi neighbors. Another Sept. 11 has passed. It still hurts on so many levels. It's one of those events that you will never forget what you were doing when you heard about it -- like the assassination of President Kennedy. Just saying the words brings back mental pictures of how you first heard about it...

Hi neighbors. With hunting seasons approaching, lots of hunters are teaching their children about gun use for the first time. When we talk about safety in the woods, don't forget to warn them of the tiny killers many forget about. I'm talking about ticks and Lyme's disease. ...

Hi neighbors. The Creative Writers group will meet Monday, Aug. 31, in the Nevada Public Library meeting room at 10:30 a.m. Although we usually meet the first Monday of each month, Labor Day holiday forced a change for this month only. The group is growing, although membership changes month to month...

Hi neighbors. Busy days are ahead as students return to school, and working parents tweak their schedules to mesh with their spouse and all of their children's new school activities. Parents who are in charge of the homefront have to find one big calendar to hang up to keep track of appointments for the family; buy small plastic bags and plastic containers for school lunches and help children organize their closets so dressing for school is planned the night before...

Hi neighbors. Maybe it's time for rethinking how we treat our home. Our home -- planet Earth. Maybe we should step outside more, into the green meadow or forest, look at a lake. Take time to see what Earth (without human concrete and steel) looks like...

Hi neighbors. In case you're just emerging from suspended animation, it is hot outside! A few days over 100 degrees already and it will probably get hotter before it gets cooler. Observing how people respond to weather is a favorite hobby of mine. Just the other day a neighbor said she couldn't wait for the rain to stop every day. She said it just caused more humidity and did nothing to lower the temperatures. She hoped the hot and dry weather of August would be easier to tolerate...

Hi neighbors. I hope a few of you caught the three-night mini-series "Tut" this week. If not, tonight they are to show all six hours back-to-back if you want to tape it. As television shows depicting actual historic figures, they brought a better than most effort to the screen for authenticity and accuracy...

Hi neighbors! I am glad to be home! When in Des Moines I always hit a couple of bookstores. I found "Don't Sweat The Small Stuff..." by Richard Carlson and have been enjoying reading that again. One chapter was about taking time to just sit quietly for a few minutes. Here's a journal entry about how that turned out!...

Hi neighbors. I've been in Iowa for a week and have enjoyed the cool weather! Mornings are still cool enough for sweaters or jackets and stay cool 'till almost noon. I also got to go to three of my granddaughter's soft ball games and saw her team win!...

Hi neighbors. It's Independence Day weekend and there will be flashes of light and loud noises all weekend! Actually all the commotion started last weekend with a large fireworks display in town and several small bursts of "Lady Fingers" around the neighborhood...

Hi neighbors. The summer season has already hit with heat, mugginess and things to do. People will be traveling for fun-filled vacations and for family reunions. It's that time of year! As the week between two holidays, this is similar to the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. Father's Day has passed and the Fourth of July weekend is not yet here. Perfect time for get-togethers with family...

Hi neighbors. I'm so happy and excited I can hardly control myself! My son Bill is getting married today to his long-term girlfriend Amber. They are so happy together and so in love; only marriage can increase their perfection. When they decided to marry, Bill and Amber went to Texas for Bill to meet her father. ...

Hi neighbors. I hope everyone is enjoying Bushwhacker Days! Today is the final day so get down to the Square and have a blast! Tomorrow is Flag Day so be sure to display Old Glory with dignity and respect. There are rules for displaying the flag and certain etiquette for carrying, raising and lowering the flag. ...

Hi neighbors. It's going to be a busy month for me. The first of June was my daughter's eighth wedding anniversary to my terrific son-in-law Karl. June 15 is my granddaughter's 14th birthday. June 20 is my son's wedding to my very soon to be darling daughter-in-law Amber...

Hi neighbors. This Monday is Memorial Day. Most of us have our own way of celebrating this holiday; and for many of us it includes trips out of town to family graves. In my instance, this includes some little cemeteries in pastures. Most of these rural burial grounds have been fenced to keep grazing cattle out. Although I'd like to think they are fenced to protect the graves; this is a two-way situation...

Hi neighbors. Today is Armed Forces Day! Please take time to thank any members of any branch of the U.S. military for their service and their sacrifices. Remember, these people were not born into military service. They have parents, siblings, spouses and children. ...

Hi neighbors! May is a busy month. Here are some things to anticipate and find ways to celebrate. May 16 is Armed Forces Day; Love a Tree Day, National Sea Monkey Day (remember those?), and Wear Purple for Peace Day (we can all do that!) May 17 is Pack Rat Day (this doesn't apply to any of us does it?) Before you hit yard sales on this day, remember a Pack Rat leaves something behind when it brings something new home...

Hi neighbors. May is here and there are many reasons to celebrate. I always like the calendars that list bizarre or unique holidays. Here are a few I found. May is Date Your Mate month, Foster Care month, National Barbecue month, National Bike month, National Blood Pressure month, National Hamburger month, National Photograph month, National Recommitment month, National Salad month and Older Americans month...

Hi neighbors. I hope many of you got to see Jeremy Wiltse, You New Free, and Mood Ring Circus last Friday night right here in Nevada. The music was great and the crowd seemed to enjoy it a lot. My future daughter-in-law Amber, aka Fairy Sunflower, acted as MC and did a great job keeping the crowd eager for more music. All the band members and singers were pros and gave a really engaging performance...

Hi neighbors. I hope many of you got to see Jeremy Wiltse, You New Free, and Mood Ring Circus last Friday night right here in Nevada. The music was great and the crowd seemed to enjoy it a lot. My future daughter-in-law Amber, aka Fairy Sunflower, acted as MC and did a great job keeping the crowd eager for more music. All the band members and singers were pros and gave a really engaging performance...

Hi neighbors. The thing about genealogy is that the dead folk just won't let the living rest. About the time I think I have my database finished as far back as I can go, someone new (well, dead and buried) shows up to challenge my tenacity. My problem is that my database grows outward horizontally instead of staying in a straight blood line backwards. I just hate to see good information get left behind. Many people who find out they are in my database are delighted to glean information from me...

Hi neighbors. It's been a good week. The farmers got some needed rain with no tornadoes, and the temperatures have been tolerable. Since I have retired I've tried to become more knowledgeable about the workings of various social network sites. I do participate on Facebook as many of my cousins from across the country also post there almost daily. ...

Hi neighbors. Probably many of you had traditional ways to celebrate another Good Friday. Or perhaps you started observing Passover at sun down on Friday night. This is a weekend of many religious celebrations around the world. But Easter and Passover share some important religious aspects...

Hi neighbors. Flossie stopped by the other day to see if I would help her with building an herb garden. I thought that simple task couldn't be too demanding. I should have remembered it was Flossie that was going to make it. We spent most of the morning trying to design various gardens. She didn't like my favorite garden type, which was a stairway type. The picture on the Internet showed all the mature herbs complimenting each other by color, shape and height...

Hi neighbors. Spring is officially here. Strange how the week before was so much nicer. Oh well, it is official. I hope everyone got a peek at the eclipse yesterday. I write this on Thursday so I'm hoping it was visible here in Nevada. The big, full moon helped make it possible...

Hi neighbors. While the groundhog might tell us if the last six weeks of winter will be fair or foul, St. Patrick's Day assures spring will arrive within days! My grandmother always said potatoes and peas had to be in the ground by St. Patrick's Day. ...

Hi neighbors. Although we've had little snow this year so far, we have had frigid temperatures and some snow. We have not always been so lucky and our neighboring states have been suffering through a mini ice age. So I thought I'd review some tips for getting into your house when there is snow and ice and you have no garage...

Hi neighbors. Although the weather is cold and maybe a little icy now and then, there is a lot to see if you get out and about this coming week. Tonight at Cottey College enjoy "Nightfall with Edgar Allen Poe" presented by the Cottey College Theatre Department. It is in the Haidee and Allen Wild Center for the Arts auditorium. Also featured is a costume contest for the best Steampunk contest; so attendees are encouraged to dress up...

Hi neighbors. Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you have lots of romantic plans for the day and the evening. Often this holiday is attributed to Romans who would draw names on this day to determine who their 'friend with benefits' would be for the following year...

Hi neighbors. February has lots of reasons to celebrate. As a month it is designated as: American Heart Month, An Affair to Remember Month, Black History Month, Canned Food Month, Creative Romance Month, Great American Pie Month, National Cherry Month, National Children's Dental Health Month, National Grapefruit Month, and National Weddings Month...

Hi neighbors. Thursday, my friend Doris and my future daughter-in-law Amber attended an open Art Share at the Art Shop on Cherry Street ran by Andrew McNair here in Nevada. We walked about looking at the artwork on display. There were several portraits in oil, a mixed media piece, some sculptures and some photographs. The main feature of the event was the relaxed atmosphere that quickly grew into friendly exchanges about art in its many forms...

Hi neighbors. I hope you all got to spend a little time outside in the sun and warm air this week. We all like to get out. When we prefer to stay inside, either due to the weather or inclination, there are some in-home fun things we all like to do. Some of my earliest childhood memories are of sitting in a porch swing with my aunt pouring over the newest Sears & Roebuck catalog. ...

Hi neighbors. Last Sunday I attended the annual meeting of the Vernon County Historical Society. Officers and board members were voted in during the first part of the meeting. The presentation was given by Geoff Giglierano, the former Executive Director of the Missouri Humanities Council...

Hi neighbors. Although winter began on Dec. 21, this last week has really demonstrated to us how winter should feel. I have stayed in my little house and I hope most of you have had that opportunity as well. When I got up this morning, Thursday, I noticed there was no frost or ice on the car windshield. Then I remembered how cold it got last night and realized it was too cold to frost! That's too cold, my friends...

Hi neighbors. It is not too late to wish each other a good year in 2015. It seems so odd that 2014 is gone already. Now is a good time to look back and review all we have done in 2014; what has happened in our house, our town, our state, our country and our world...

Hi neighbors. I hope you have all finished your shopping and are ready to just hang out at home and wait for the little fat guy in a red suit to show up. I have finished shopping to the best of my knowledge. I'll try to stay out of stores and off shopping websites until after New Year's Day...

Hi neighbors. The time is fast approaching when those little reindeer feet prance around on our rooftops, displacing shingles and kicking off attic fan covers. Soon Santa will dispense chimney soot all over our front rooms, eat cookies, drink milk and leave soot-covered colorful gifts strung around the tree...

Hi neighbors. I trust we have all loosened our belts and ingested large numbers of carbs, sugars, salts and calories in general. Hopefully there were plenty of family members about to share the food and the guilt of overindulgence. Now that the company has gone home, the stuffed feeling has left us and settled into references to turkey leftovers only. We will have to eat turkey and candied sweet potatoes for another day at least...

Hi neighbors. Many of you have heard me complain over the years about the impending demise of Thanksgiving. This year the first nail went into the coffin of my most beloved holiday. Several large retail chains have decided to ignore the long-held tradition of postponing Christmas sales until the week after Thanksgiving...

Hi neighbors. In case you've forgotten, winter does not begin until Dec. 21. Of course, Mother Nature doesn't buy calendars so maybe she is unaware of that fact. Please, if you have any influence on the weather, I'd like a few more weeks of temps in the 60s at least...

Hi neighbors. It feels like fall now doesn't it? I was glad to hear that some people of supposed intelligence and importance in Jefferson City have determined that it would be better for people and commerce in Missouri to stay with either Central Standard Time or Central Daylight Time year round. ...

Hi neighbors. Recently (three days ago) my Internet declared itself unavailable. Really? Does this mean we are breaking up? I can't live without my Internet! OK, I could survive without it; but I don't think I want to. As with all catastrophes that involve computers, I called my son. Like he always does, he asked what the computer had to say about it...

Hi neighbors. Now is the awkward time of year, when baseball is striving to reach its peak and football is just getting started. Tailgate parties and all types of hats, shirts and other memorabilia are available to pronounce whatever name is embroidered on it as the best of all...

Hi neighbors. October begins the decision making time for most people with insurance on what they want for 2015 coverage. Medicare users have from the first of the month until Dec. 7, to notify the good folks at the Medicare offices of their choices. Not actually choices for Medicare itself as that stays constant; but for the other insurances in the private sector that cover what Medicare does not...

Hi neighbors. There was good news on television the other night! "The Walking Dead" show opens its new season this Sunday night. Yeah! One of my favorite shows (just below "Elementary," which won't start until Oct. 30). "The Walking Dead" is more soap opera than horror...

Hi neighbors. With the beginning of October comes the promise (or threat) from most television stations of 31 days of horror films. Nightly fare will feature horror flicks once shown at theaters. They may include slash and chop movies (where the only reason for the movie to be made appears to be increasing the sale of fake blood and plastic body parts), science fiction or Gothic classic monsters, lots of horror with witchcraft, mythological monsters, and a few bio-hazards thrown in for fun...

Hi neighbors. I hope everyone is enjoying the nice weather we have been having. It's a good time to sit on the porch in the sunshine and curl up with a good book in the evening. I've been reading a great book by former Nevada Daily Mail editor, Lynn A. ...

Hi neighbors. The new television season should start soon. In my opinion, not soon enough! I miss my favorite shows and have seen the re-runs at least twice. The appearance of the new shows is definitely something to anticipate. Autumn will officially be here this coming week. ...

Hi neighbors. It has been a sad week for members of the Malcom family as my childrens' father, Gentry Finis Malcom, passed away suddenly on the 9th. Like most families facing a tragedy, they found themselves unprepared for the event of their father's passing so suddenly. He had been ill for the last year or more, but was in a nursing home and seemed to be stable...

Hi neighbors. September is upon us and, boy, is it loaded with celebrations and weird holidays. Here are most of them. Starting with the 6th, is one of my favorite days, National Writing Date Day. Try your hand at writing! The 7th lists Grandma Moses Day, Grandparent's Day (another one of my personal favorites!), National Attention Deficit Disorder Awareness Day, "Neither Snow nor Rain" Day (say thanks to your mail delivery person), Pet Rock Day (do you remember when this started?), Salami Day, and International Literacy Day.. ...

Hi neighbors. It is the last weekend of August and we bid goodbye to the last full month of summer. Where did it go? Not that there still aren't lots of things to work on and play with, and hopefully cooler weather in which to do the outside work and play...

Hi neighbors. It is another hot weekend, so stay cool. Go swimming while the pool is still open. If it stays hot all day, go take in a movie at the local theater. There is always lots to do in Nevada. Although some places still traditionally start school after Labor Day (Sept. 1) Nevada is already started. Whatever school you attend, in these days of economic problems, it is often a family responsibility to get children their needed supplies for the school year...

Hi neighbors. From the news it appears the racism riots of the 60s have returned. I will only touch briefly on the matter of a young man of 18 being shot by police in St. Louis. I don't feel I know enough about the situation to comment in detail. My main concern was why was the man shot? Was he committing a crime? Did it appear to the police that he was carrying or drawing a weapon?...

Hi neighbors. I hope everyone has good fans or air conditioning! Or at least lots of water to drink and stick your feet in (well, not both activities from the same container!) Keep popsicles handy and other cold treats. Jell-O is always good, furnishes good flavor, water intake and helps cool you down...

Hi neighbors. What a lovely week it has been! I have finally gotten some energy back and have been making the rounds of all of my old haunts to start some volunteer work. I will be helping out with the genealogy room on Thursdays and perhaps another day as well...

Hi neighbors. I often watch television documentaries about archaeology digs and have noticed that they will take tons of sand, dirt, dust and small rocks and shake them through a sieve to find tiny bits of ceramics, animal bones, etc. Anthropologists and biologists do this to find tiny pieces of once living ancient people or animals like dinosaurs and Neanderthals...

Hi neighbors. Although the "normal" calendar shows very little to celebrate during the rest of July, certain so-called weird calendars list strange holidays for every day of any month. Here is a composite example. The 19th you can celebrate National Raspberry Cake Day or Stick Out Your Tongue Day, or play a few games of chess to recognize International Chess Day...

Hi neighbors. I had an excellent adventure this past week. A friend of mine who is currently celebrating a vacation and I finally made our long-anticipated trip to Independence to visit the Mid-Continent Genealogical Library. She knew the way, at least most of the way, and we had a minimal amount of trouble finding the library. Of course, we did have some "circling of the block" a time or two, but nothing too discouraging...

Hi neighbors. It is Independence Day weekend! I hope you are having a great and safe, time of it. I have had a wonderful time this past weekend with visitors from Iowa. My daughter, her husband and my granddaughter were all here. My son Bill and his fiancée were both here and a great visit was had by all...

Hi neighbors. I saw Flossie in her back yard a day ago, and she was hammering small pieces of wood onto 4 foot long 4x4s. I watched for a few minutes before she would realize I was at her back fence gate in the alley at the side of her property. Finally, I could stand it no more -- the kitten was climbing the fence to get me, meowing loudly. I knew my stealth mode would soon be discovered...

Hi neighbors. Remember a few weeks ago when we were complaining about the cold? Hold that thought. Turn it over and over in your mind. It might cool you off, might. Many people can't wait for summer. Most of these people like water. Dreams of warm sunshine, swimming, boating, fishing, canoeing, river rafting -- all that stuff -- keep them happy while the snow flies...

Hi neighbors. What a weekend! The Bushwhacker Days celebration ends with a big bang with lots of good music, good food, good friends and neighbors having a good time. It is our annual remembrance of a bitter war, homes lost to fire and family lost in battles. Not intended to stir up old animosities, the Bushwhacker Days celebration is meant to remind us all that whatever our differences, we are all one people...

Hi neighbors. Another month bites the dust and time moves on to whatever comes next. We have always heard older people say that time moves faster the older you get. I don't think time moves faster. I think we start recognizing the passage of cycles...

Hi neighbors. Monday will be Memorial Day. Of course, if you want to wait, Friday the 30th will also be Memorial Day. I don't think your boss will give you both days off as the Memorial Day holiday. You may not get to choose which one to "count" as your Memorial Day celebration...

Hi neighbors. This week everyone I know has been ill with the stomach flu. I'm no doctor, of course, but we all have our own notions about how to deal with illness. Here are some things I've tried and that have been suggested to me by my doctor. Yes, doctor...

Hi neighbors. There are two very popular television shows that feature fiction novelists as their primary characters. In both of these series we see them talk a lot about their writing, go on speaking engagements, teach college students about writing, teach prison inmates about writing (and committing the perfect murder) and trot all over the United States and Europe on book signings...

Hi neighbors. Thursday night my friend Flossie called me to see if I was home. Now, Flossie never calls ahead of time. She usually just walks into the kitchen demanding coffee and cake. Thursday though, she explained she did not want to venture out into the frigid air unless she knew ahead of time that I would be there to offer coffee and some hot air to defrost her nose and toes...

Hi neighbors. For the last week my son has been in Texas meeting his soon-to-be in-laws. He arranged for a friend to tend to his two cats and asked me to take care of the Corgi named Zeus. Zeus grew up here at my house as a puppy and he seemed quite at home. He has had no problem assimilating his old routine and seems very content to revert to being a spoiled pup...

Hi neighbors. As I get older I find myself clinging to habits and avoiding change as much as possible. I like things like I'm used to; whether those things or habits are good or not. I've heard that it takes seven days to establish a habit and three months to ingrain it so much it becomes a habit, instead of something you have to think about before you do it...

Hi neighbors. As I write this thunderstorms are threatening. My daughter in Iowa said they had snow today. Sometimes, it's hard to know what we want isn't it. How many of us sit around for 60-plus years yammering that we can't wait to retire? But we just wait. April 1 was April Fool's Day and my birthday. As I get closer and closer to retirement age, it seems to get further away...

Hi neighbors. About the time Spring finally found Nevada, I visited Iowa and found winter still there! I complain a lot about the cold and snow and ice, so most people would think I would have sense enough to not venture north on the cusp of spring. But I got time off from work and decided I would go visit my daughter and her family in Des Moines...

Hi neighbors. There have been signs for almost two weeks: robins dive-bombing each other, sparrows collecting twigs, squirrels acting like spastic ninjas, children chasing each other around at the bus stops. These are all typical spring phenomena. One day last week I actually left my screen door open almost twenty minutes. The next day I was scraping ice off the car windshield...

Hi neighbors. Believe it or not, this Monday is St. Patrick's Day. Believe in them or not, many people swear they have had encounters of the tricky kind with leprechauns, wee folk, fairies, etc. My mostly pragmatic friend, Flossie has some chinks in her armor of "scientific thinking" that bare strong resemblances to superstition. Just don't tell her that...

Hi, neighbors. At 2 a.m. this Sunday morning you must get out of bed and change your clocks ahead one hour. Of course, if you can go back to sleep within 10 minutes, you will find you still miss an entire hour's rest. Some people who are less adventurous set their clocks the night before...

Hi, neighbors. I was saddened to see that the Nevada Daily Mail will go to a four-day a week publishing schedule. I can, however, certainly understand the need to cut costs as much as possible, while still maintaining the same degree of service. I look forward to getting the newspaper every day when I come home from work. When there is no newspaper on Mondays in my mailbox, I still have to remind myself "well, it must be Monday." Now, I will have two days of trying to figure it out...

Hi neighbors. Is it spring yet, or should I crawl back under my rock with Phil the groundhog? I called my daughter Thursday morning to warn her to stay home to avoid the blizzard due to hit Des Moines that day. She said she might cancel all of her classes and stay where it was safe. I know her -- she didn't...

Hi neighbors. February is more than half over already! How are you doing with those New Year's resolutions? I didn't make many and most of them have been shelved for other, more pressing demands. Flossie was by the other day and said she was glad she hadn't made any. ...

Hi neighbors. Nippy weather continues and all that "snow fun" is getting old, even for the children. There is always a lot to do where the heaters work though. Bundle up and take the family out (when the roads are safe) to visit some local businesses and indoor attractions...

Hi neighbors. It's not spring yet. I can't remember if the groundhog is supposed to see his shadow (meaning the sun is out) and there will be an early spring; or if there will be a longer stretch of winter weather if he does or does not see his shadow. Guess I need to do some research...

Hi, neighbors. Long winter days and cold winter nights remind us all how good it feels to curl up with a good book, in front of a warm fire, while sipping some hot coffee. It doesn't get much better than that. There is at least one thing better: sitting in front of a video of a fireplace, holding a computer and working with a fired up passion to put just the right words in the most entertaining order...

Hi, neighbors. If you aren't tired of running around in short sleeves ,you have to be happy you're wearing a parka! Temperatures can go from 8 degrees to 58 in a couple of days time. Since it is January, cold seems to dominate, of course. And by cold, I mean frigid!...

Hi neighbors. We all lose someone dear to us in our life times. Most of us lose several people close to us by blood, marriage or deep friendship. Each of them was special to us, not simply for what they did, but for who they were. My son called me late Wednesday night to tell me his grandmother had died at the Nevada Regional Medical Center. ...

Hi neighbors. Welcome to 2014! Things are off to a shaky start I'd say. I am so ready for June -- it doesn't snow in June, nor sleet nor drop to four degrees in the night. Wind chill is not even mentioned in weather reports in June. I am definitely ready for June...

OK. Do you have your Christmas tree down or disposed of yet? Are all of your Christmas decorations neatly stored away in clearly-labeled boxes? Have all the snacks you bought or fixed for New Year's Eve been eaten up? Have you finished the last of your New Year's Day ham? Then I guess you are ready for the next thing. But what is it?...

Hi neighbors. I always call this week "Vacuum Week." Not because I clean carpets all week, but because it is the time when 2013 holds its breath knowing 2014 is lying in wait just around the corner. People all seem to still be catching their wind from all the Christmas hubbub and none of us want to anticipate 2014 too soon...

Hi neighbors. By this time next week Santa will have fled with the sled and gone back to bed. Wednesday is the big day! We may have a white Christmas after all. I remember what a big thrill it was to get out of school for Christmas vacation. We had two full weeks off ending with the first weekday of January after January first...

Hi neighbors. If you are finished shopping and are still shy a few gifts for those "particular" people who always give (and want given) homemade or nostalgic gifts, have I got some ideas for you. There are many homemade gifts related to genealogy and family history. The secret is to find the right format and slant to suit whatever age of your intended gift recipient...

By Nancy Malcom Hi neighbors. With the last weekend of November bringing an end to one holiday and the beginning of another with Black Friday, it is time to reflect on what we want for Christmas. As a young girl growing up in Wichita, Kan., I remember that every birthday wish and every Christmas wish included some type of horse or pony. At 10 years old, I could think of no better job than growing up to be a stable hand and cleaning out stalls at a horse ranch...

Hi neighbors. It's that time of year again, when everyone is gabbing about grabbing gobblers. I hope you have your turkey already bought because otherwise, you might be eating chicken or ham. I find it surprising that we all wait in anticipation for the big "turkey day" meal, but as much as we enjoy it then, we never eat it again until a year later. Maybe it is the long memory of leftovers and one day of feasting, followed by three weeks of trying to avoid left over food...

Hi, neighbors. We have a new tradition in my extended family. Whenever we get together for a holiday, special event or all just happen to be in the same place for whatever reason, we take photos. Everyone takes photos. Then, we make a CD of all the photos from our camera and mail them around. Everyone else does the same, so we all end up with all of the photos. This way, we eventually get photos of ourselves (we being the ones who always pack the cameras and take the photos.)...

Hi neighbors. November has a lot going on. And you thought turkey day was the only celebration this month!t It is Aviation History Month -- we have an airport in Nevada for a field trip and a library for the research. Have fun! Child Safety Protection Month is in November as well. It involves more than locking your cabinets and putting those plastic things in your wall sockets. Do a search, find some reliable tips and make you home safe for the children and the grandchildren...

Hi neighbors. I trust we all made it through another Halloween. My street was crowded with superheroes and cartoon characters galore; with a few video game characters thrown in for good measure. There were still traditional witches, goblins and ghosts though...

Hi neighbors. Another "boo!" night is upon us and we had best beware candy that children go "yuck!" in the night. Halloween is the one night of the year when we let all health concerns go out the window -- or up the chimney via steam from the cauldron...

Hi neighbors. From the ghosts and goblins to the babies in top hats, this time of year is full of holidays. Holidays are traditionally a time for families to gather and celebrate their love. But if you are a caregiver to a person with Alzheimer's or other dementias, the thoughts of a houseful of guests -- even beloved guests -- can seem overwhelming...

In anticipation of National Alzheimer's Month in November, I will be occasionally dedicating this column to help us all learn more about Alzheimer's disease. Most of the material quoted will come from the Alzheimer's Association website. It holds a wonderful amount of current information on Alzheimer's disease and other dementias...