Divisions are often difficult. Factions that fracture families and communities. Rifts that run rampant. Hard on organizations and collections of citizens. Also perplexing when occurring within a person. Not along the lines of being torn between three tempting flavors of ice cream. Rather the ...
We all know in our heart the gardening season is very quickly coming to an end. Our average daily high temperature drops 2 to 4 degrees every week and we are losing about 14 minutes of daylight every seven days. After 5 nights of frost here It is time to cut back those perennials and compost ...
It appears that canning supplies are among the things that have been hit by the pandemic. I, personally, have not looked for lids or jars, but I noticed that some are being offered for sale through the classified. That tells me that they are of limited availability. Earlier when I was out ...
It was just a couple years ago that I learned that Don’s birthday was just a couple days after mine. Our first “date” was a dinner to celebrate my birthday. I recall that I was surprised when he invited me to go, but I accepted his invitation. Why do I remember this? I guess because we ...
A little over a year ago, Pennsylvania became the first state to automatically clear some criminal records as part of a new “Clean Slate” Initiative. The effects of this law have been nothing short of staggering: more than a million Pennsylvanians have had cases sealed or removed from the ...
If I learned any lesson on human nature from my “cruise” on the brig Niagara some years ago, it was just how arbitrary and wayward the actions of an inside clique can be within a loosely structured organization. In a social body with established norms, such as the military, the manner ...
I have a book illustrated by Thomas Kinkade with poems, scriptures, and other writings. The pictures are beautiful. One picture is like the very last Christmas gift that I received from my husband – a picture of a barn. The poems and other writings are often familiar. Some of these poems I ...
The Eve of Destruction is upon us now and has been inching closer ever since President Barack Obama the Omnificent took office! It is as clear as daylight what Obama and his minions — 17 so-called intelligence agencies, the entire media system except one or two, entertainment clowns, ...
This fall’s presidential election is coming up quickly, and during every day leading up to Nov. 3, Pennsylvania’s county leaders and election officials are hard at work preparing to administer an impartial and accurate election. And what’s top of mind for them? Making sure that voters ...
What does it mean to be an American? This morning I want to present my views. First of all, I am proud to be an American. I love this country and all it stands for. The Constitution was written more than 200 years ago, but is still pertinent today. Our system of three parts of government ...
An observation. Gratitude. A possible metaphor. I regularly walk the uphill roads that take me to the Warren Area High School. It’s a lovely, challenging climb that I’m grateful to be able to do. I share the air and earth up there with birds, bunnies, chipmunks, a singular cat, and ...
It has recently irritated me to have to be careful when backing out of our driveway not to collide with the car parked in the street opposite from where our driveway ends. It’s not that the car’s owner has parked his or her car in a way that seriously impedes my exiting since there is ...
Last week I talked about the Depression. I complimented the two women in my life who had lived through it and taught me a lot. Today I have other thoughts. I read a piece called “I Like the Depression.” The man had this perspective on how the Depression enhanced his life. How could ...
This morning a doe and her fawn showed up in the yard. That is not unusual up here.What was unusual is that she seemed to be saying to the young one, “This is a safe place to eat. See I am grazing here.” Animals are nothing but amazing. They teach their young without words. They teach ...
I recently spent about 15 minutes inside a Warren-area convenience store awaiting a sub to be made. While there, approximately six customers entered the store without masks, despite the highly visible signs on the doors requiring them. I asked the staff if that was common, thinking of how ...
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s press conference on Aug. 6 was coming to an end when a question was posed regarding high school sports. Wolf did not delay in responding. “The guidance is we ought to avoid any congregant settings,” he said. “And that means anything that brings people ...
John Denver has a song that I love called “Some Days Are Diamonds, Some Days Are Stones.” The song describes how to determine whether your day is a diamond or a stone. Interestingly, the best days of your life are the “diamond days” while the days that are not so good are the “stone ...
Over the past three months, our organizations have proudly come together in an unprecedented fashion to address the enormous challenges we have faced as a community due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This public health crisis is unlike anything most of us have ever experienced ...
Well, Major League Baseball is underway but it certainly is different. Every team is trying its best to keep players healthy but despite their best efforts, some players have tested positive for COVID-19. The stadiums are empty except for essential personnel. Even the commentators are ...
Among the 40,345 residents in Warren County, in 2017, 97% were white and less than 1% were black. This letter focuses on the blacks, though Native Americans, Hispanics, Asians, and others experience ill will as well. First some history: slavery, 1619 to 1865; Jim Crow Segregation era, ...