For over 50 years, a huge oak tree stood near the corner of our house. Two oak trees had grown together at the trunk many years ago. It was massive in circumference and stood over 80 feet tall. The shade over our house and the oxygen it produced were invaluable to us. The fall colors added beauty to our yard. more

“Mickey 17” is the kind of movie where you just have to trust the filmmaker to take you on a more

If you are like me, you do not watch or listen to our negative news much anymore. So, you might have missed this. more

Spring is a time to be on the lookout for colorful birds, blooming plants… and wildfires. more

We always planted potatoes on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, when I was a boy on the farm. more

My husband and I were born five years and two days apart in March. Since it’s birthday season again, here are 52 things I’ve noticed about turning 52. more

There has been a super amount of excitement in and around our community for a few weeks. Our two basketball teams qualified to play in the State playoffs in Columbia over the weekend. The last game the girls played they beat by just one point (one couldn't get closer than that). The last game the boys played, they beat 52 to 73. The kids and their many fans are going to have great memories for many years. Congratulations to everyone. Now is the time to celebrate! Lots of parties in the near future. I was really glad that folks who were at games kept putting what was happening on Facebook. I, for one, enjoyed every game I went to. more

I took advantage of the snow cover and light north wind recently to burn a brush pile. more

There is something special about time spent around a campfire any time of the day or year. Smoke drifts up into the sky, while wood crackles and pops. Flames dance and flicker. Sparks float hypnotically upward. more

Back behind me on the trail of time, there is a place that is sacred to more

Dear Fellow Voter, more

“The Monkey” is a movie on the sillier end of the horror spectrum. It’s so silly that the catalyst for the many, many deaths that occur throughout its runtime is a literal toy. Granted, it’s a toy that I’ve never known anyone to actually like, and come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one referenced in popular culture without accompanying commentary about its creepiness. I’m speaking, of course, about the eponymous monkey: a wind-up primate that plays a drum. The monkey in this movie is indeed creepy, but it’s far from the scariest I’ve ever seen. In fact, I’d say this hard-R horror movie has a less freaky monkey than the one in the G-rated “Toy Story 3.” But the scares here don’t come from the monkey itself so much as the horrific (but again, very silly) violence that accompanies the monkey everywhere. more

When our youngest son and his wife found out they could not have kids, they adopted our grandson Ty from Guatemala. The following year, they adopted his brother Sam and brought him home to be with his brother. more

Your attempts at self-salvation guarantee you nothing but exhaustion! We scamper and scurry, trying to please God, collecting merit badges and brownie points, and scowling at anyone who questions our accomplishments. Call us the church of hound-dog faces and slumped shoulders. more

My apologies to my unknown relatives in Canada for the unpleasant political winds emanating from below our border. more

Hello to all my friends out there and enjoy these nice days. more

This week, I’m going to do what I usually do and review the biggest as-yet-unreviewed movie at the weekend box office with “Last Breath.” However, I’m also going to take a detour and review the film that just won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in “Anora.” My rationale is that the Oscar win may lead to renewed interest, and thus a spike in ticket sales, on a national level. Also, I’ve wanted an excuse to talk about this movie for months. But first, the “hot” new release… more

The Marvel Cinematic Universe at large got to take a break in 2024. Sure, “Deadpool & Wolverine” was one of the biggest hits of the year, but that was more about Disney showing off its newly-acquired 20th Century Fox toys rather than advancing the lore of its bread-and-butter franchise. more

It didn’t take long for me to get enough winter after the ice and cold weather that enveloped the Ozarks in early January. more

It is here! The final days of the shortest month of the year. It sometimes feels like the longest month of the year. We are ready for winter to be over and to start seeing the subtle signs of our beloved Spring season. more

The snow and cold days are behind us (for a while). There have been reports of frozen pipes and other farm problems with folks needing to check cows often since it is calving season. That part of winter is always a dread. more

I CAN ONLY IMAGINE more

I sometimes wonder what my life would have been like if I had not grown up in the Missouri Ozarks, surrounded by nature. It was here in this land that I learned to be curious and explore the world of animals, insects, wildflowers, plants, and trees. I learned what lived in woods and waters. I gained confidence, learned to be alone, enjoyed myself, and felt at home. more

September 21, 2024 –– much like George Strait sang it in 1985, that was when the cowboys rode away. more

Betty Foraker more