Columnists
Pearls: What could have been
Someone dear to me spoke a few of the wisest words I think I have ever heard. They’re not my own, but they’re too good not to share. ‘Thinking about what “could have been” is the worst thing a person can do. Lots of lives have been ruined because people do that very thing.’ Wow.…
Read MoreOn the Brighter Side: Christmas is……
A kindergarten teacher asked her students to draw a Christmas story as part of their art class at school. The little boy sitting in the back of her room, sketched a Nativity scene with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus lying in a manger. However, there was also a large, rotund fellow in the scene. The…
Read MoreOutdoors with Larry: Require a search warrant; don’t let an agent take your antlers
Deer hunters need to know that sometimes conservation agents come to the homes of those who telecheck large antlered deer and ask to see the place where their deer was killed. If a hunter complies, they could be cited for some technical offense or charged with baiting even if no baiting has been done. It…
Read MorePearls: There’s nothing wrong with asking for help
‘The most dangerous people are the ones who know a little bit, but who think they know everything.’ My dad would frequently offer some iteration of this thought, particularly when he had encountered an individual who was foolishly claiming expertise that he or she did not possess. He’s an intelligent man, my dad, but he…
Read MoreOutdoors with Larry: Drones for deer
I have a friend who grew up in Wisconsin who was a very good deer hunter. He liked to bow hunt in early October where large unharvested cornfields stood … his name was Al Narveson. Al had found a good number of big bucks by walking along cornrows into the wind, and coming upon bedding…
Read MorePearls: It is the season to enjoy eating
I had a column all written about the government shutdown, but I could hardly stand to write it and didn’t care to reread it, so here’s my second shot for the week. I’ll spare you all from the first. Instead, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about the upcoming holidays and heaven knows it’s a…
Read MoreLetter to the Editor: Celebrating Rural Health Day
As we recognize National Rural Health Day, Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville reaffirms our commitment to the health and well-being of our community. Rural health care is about more than providing services – it’s about ensuring that every individual has access to high-quality care close to home. At Mosaic, we are dedicated to Maryville and…
Read MorePearls: Separation of church and state
Does having freedom entail our having to take the bad with the good? I grew up believing so. Someone would say or do something that went against the values we held in our home, and I can remember my folks at times stating why we were opposed to what was being said or shown to…
Read MoreView from the Front Porch: Fall and winter soothe my soul
“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for talking beside the fire; it is the time for home.” — Edith Sitwell I know what you are about to read might drive some of you crazy. At least you will think I am crazy!…
Read MoreUp in the Skye: Why I work two jobs and can’t afford health insurance
Right now, so much is going on in the country, and with more and more people worried about where they’ll get their next meal, others unsure whether they will be able to afford to purchase a home or even to have children, there is a lot to be concerned about. My most pressing concern at…
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