Columnists
Don't blame the kids: Clutter was there first
Posted at 4:47pm on Feb. 20, 2012
Right now in our backyard, you may view one intact swing set, one partially dismantled swing set, one playhouse, one battery-powered ride-on toy, three kid-powered ride-on toys, one jump rope, one basketball, one basketball goal, three soccer balls, three water guns, a dog bowl, a rabbit hutch, a hammock stand, four cracked plastic chairs in a stack, one wrought-iron deck chair, one park bench and, ironically, a trash can.
Readers check in with more car-name tales
Posted at 4:50pm on Feb. 13, 2012
People give me funny looks when I ask, "Do you name your car?" The looks give them away: A quizzical look means the answer is no. A smile means yes.
Senior-adult softball reveals the children they were
Posted at 10:32am on Jan. 31, 2012
My husband loves softball. When I went into labor with our first child, he was pitching a softball game. I was sitting in a lawn chair writing down the team stats, so I added a column that timed my contractions.
A good Hostess doesn't kill her dinner guests
Posted at 10:43am on Jan. 24, 2012
Ding-dong, the Twinkie is dead. As you may know, the Hostess company, maker of Twinkies and the wondrous Wonder Bread, recently announced that it is filing for bankruptcy.
Technology is killing 'just dropping by'
Posted at 11:58am on Jan. 10, 2012
I heard a radio talk show recently on sounds that will no longer be a part of modern life: the scratch of a turntable needle on a 78 rpm record, the chunk-chunk of an old-fashioned credit card machine.
Some 2012 resolutions for gardeners
Posted at 4:23pm on Jan. 3, 2012
In the spirit of sowing tiny seeds in hopes of a magnificent harvest - in spite of all the challenges sure to arise - I offer my short list of 2012 resolutions for area gardens, including my own farm and gardening projects.
Simple Christmas was 'good enough'
Posted at 3:56pm on Jan. 3, 2012
"We grow too soon old and too late smart." - Dutch Proverb
I will always cherish Christmas Eve
Posted at 5:42pm on Dec. 19, 2011
When I was growing up, Christmas Eve was invariably spent with my father's Aunt Anne and Uncle Harvey and their family.
Pawnshops thrive in weak economy
Posted at 9:59am on Dec. 13, 2011
I wasn't at Ken Clanton's Peddlers Pawn Emporium for long before he pulled out a Civil War bayonet and issued a challenge to me.
Breakfast provides gifts for children in need
Posted at 4:48pm on Dec. 5, 2011
Last year, the Rotary Club of Troutman helped provide Christmas gifts for more than 90 local children and families in need.
