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Reaching a milestone

I am well aware that the milestone I reach this year is not guaranteed to everyone. My first husband died before he reached retirement age. I have also lost classmates and friends who were “young.” I first felt my age when a dear a friend from church took sick. She weathered the first surgery well, but when it came to the second surgery, she entered that compromised. Recovery was not what the Lord had in mind. She died a little while later. Her death really changed things for me. I realized that none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. There were some things in my life that needed ...

Unlocking the door on rainy-day tribute

I locked myself in a bathroom last Saturday. At a funeral. Haven’t we all? My friend, Meredith, held her husband’s service at their charming home. She planned a lovely tribute – the pastor, the catered luncheon, the shuttle service from distant parking. Every detail was considered. But Mother Nature and The Fates had other plans for her challenging day. It wasn’t bad enough that it rained all morning as mega-dozens of family and friends arrived. She also had to suffer a doofus in her powder room. It’s one thing to accommodate 50 or 60 people in your home – the seating, the ...

Our farms can help in food crisis

We’re all feeling the pain of sticker shock at the grocery store. Grocery bills have become heftier as the prices of eggs, dairy and other pantry and refrigerator staples remain high. Everyone should have reliable access to the food needed to thrive, but more expensive food is essentially inaccessible for over 80,000 of our neighbors facing hunger in northwest Pennsylvania. Stagnant wages far outpace the current cost of living. According to the USDA, many households with low incomes are already spending 30% of their budget on food. Amid higher-than-usual grocery prices, food banks ...

High gas prices in area are not tied only to Biden

Rather than bashing President Joe Biden for things beyond any president’s control, why does the keeper of the electronic sign near the Glade bridge not educate himself a little deeper about how the world really works? I just returned from Marionville late last month where the price of gas at the Quik Fill was $3.849 and at the Keystone station $3.809 — the latter 19 cents cheaper than in Warren and the former presumably owned by the same refining company that charges $3.999 in Warren. Maybe Biden conspired with United Refining to add 15 plus cents to the local price, but I ...

View from Hickory Heights: Introduction to a piano

I am not sure what prompted my mom to look for a piano, but I remember the day vividly. We took the train to Buffalo. Then we went to Denton, Cottier, and Daniels. I am not sure about how that middle name is spelled but I did the best I could. We were looking for a piano. My mom looked at several types but ended up buying an anniversary model. It was to be delivered in a couple weeks. My mom was so excited. She played the piano herself and had visions of me taking lessons. When the piano arrived, we had to clear out a place in our living room to put it. Luckily my grandfather had ...

Living in the shade of our wonderful trees

Yesterday, beginning the turn into our driveway, I stopped. Our front yard birch tree, its leaves shimmering in the light breeze, captured my attention. I usually take its beauty for granted, but this time I needed to pause to appreciate its splendor. We planted the cluster birch with its four strong trunks six years ago. I haven’t named the tree, but he surely is a member of the family now. How did he get that big? And fully symmetrical? And luxuriously leafed out? He is now 10-15 feet taller than our roof peak and about 30 feet wide. I shouldn’t be proud of this handsome tree – ...