When will we get the first snow? I know for some that are a dirty word but it will come anyway. I do not mean flurries in the air. I mean real snow that stays on the ground. During the recent full moon, I woke one morning and was sure that it snowed. There was a white cast over ...

I never thought much about getting a mammogram - that is until a routine mammogram revealed an abnormality. At first, I was mad! Not this again was my thought pattern. Ten years before this happened, I underwent a test, followed by surgery and nothing was wrong. I still have the scar to ...

I recently read that redheads will not exist by the end of this century. Holy Clairol! The story went on to say that between one and two percent of the world’s population is redheaded. Well, if the current world population is approximately 7.7 billion, let’s say that 1.5% of that ...

Warren area residents are fortunate to live in a region where avenues for outdoor recreation are so readily at hand and certainly go well beyond the traditional outdoor pursuits of hunting and fishing. The region is also lucky to have an organization that helps the public to enjoy its local ...

So, there I was, sitting at my desk, minding my own business (for once, I usually mind other people’s business when I’m at work) when I got an email from an unexpected source. The stone skipping World Record Holder reached out to me. I’ve heard from some pretty esteemed personages ...

...to the air of October 12 in the mid-afternoon. You are here. Finally. I forget that I miss you, that you fill me with gratitude. Carrying the scent of fading leaves, low sunshine, and the inaugural biting night of autumn, you wrap the season I’ve been waiting for into one inhalation. You ...

"Curiosity killed the cat," the old saying goes. I guess it's a good thing I'm not of the feline persuasion. I'll just admit it - I'm nosy. I like meeting new people and I have a bad habit that has served me well. I talk to people. I chat with cabbies and clerks and waiters and people ...

A delayed honeymoon trip to Alaska was a treat. Both of us had been to Alaska before, but this time we visited Don's daughter, Melanie and her family. When he talked to her shortly before we left, she told us the weather up there was similar to what we were having so we took what we thought ...

The teen years are filled with all types of mean girls; frenemies, fake friends, toxic friends and controlling girls. These mean girl behaviors often leave others feeling hurt, puzzled and distraught. Mean behavior is not “normal” girl behavior but is often excused as “that’s what ...

What do you love? Food-wise, I mean. I’m not talking about what you would eat three meals a day forever. That’s too tough a question. It’s more like what your very favorite is. I guess I’d have to say a deep red, mid-Italy-type spaghetti sauce. You know, just like Nonna used to make. ...

In my mind, the best thing about fall is harvest time. Although the garden is past its prime, it has enough good things in it to keep me happy. Tomatoes happen to be my favorite thing to eat when they are ripened on the vine. Oh, you can purchase tomatoes on the vine at other times of ...

We’ve witnessed some exciting events while camping along the Allegheny River, such as the time a very large bear raided our garbage can late one night at Cloverleaf Campground while we observed its antics from just a few away out of our camper trailer window. But by far the most exciting ...

Last column, I began discussing myths and facts of suicide. I want to finish this discussion because, again, if myths of suicide are believed to be facts then a person’s ability to reach out and assist someone struggling with a suicidal crisis is lowered. Some people believe that only ...

“Does anyone want to go outside to see a Black Saddlebag?” Statements of this kind are frequently heard around the offices at Audubon. We stop work at our desks, jump up with our cameras, and head outside. Being aware of what is going on outside is a major part of our jobs, so it is ...

The trips I took with the grandchildren were some of my favorites. I went to New York City two years in a row. First, I took the granddaughter, then I took the boys. When you see the wonder of the children experiencing something for the first time it is really an awesome experience. We got ...

Times Observer photo by Lorri Drumm A lone tiny yellow flower pokes out of the grass among red, yellow and brown leaves on a September morn’ in Warren. Do you remember the 21st night of September? Wait, that’s tonight. In that case, do you intend to dance in the night while the stars ...

We crossed one more off the bucket list this month – the dream that had bubbled to the top of my desires in the past few decades. It involved a return trip last month to my beloved Scotland for the Tattoo. No, not that kind of Tattoo. From Wikipedia: “A tattoo is a military ...

Hopefully you found time this week to get onto the Allegheny National Forest. Hiking has been great. The small trout streams are low, or at least they were until recently, so stealth is needed to flip a bait or a fly near relaxed trout. One of our favorite pastimes during the past several years ...

People often ask, "What was your favorite trip.?" It is difficult to pick just one. There are parts of many of them I would classify as favorites. When I travel with people, they always want to know if I am going to write about the trip. My answer is always the same. It depends what I see ...

It’s a long way to October, but my baseball season is over. It’s not because of my chosen Major League Baseball team’s record. No, I mean the baseball team I play on — the Jamestown Old Timers. There were 10 dates on our calendar this season, with most of those being scheduled for ...