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Even in the…

As I sat waiting for a local parade to begin, it became apparent that even in the crowded heat of the day, people helped each other to be comfortable. It was very comfortable sitting in my favorite coffee shop's outdoor patio and watching the interaction of the folks around me. People moved closer together so others could be in the shade. They formed places for people to have a space to sit. They watched and protected the little toddlers running along the sidewalk. Even in the heat, we helped each other. One of the events during the cities summer festival was that local organizations ...

Sliding scale

All waters are different, and expectedly, the fish available in each one are different as well. Not so much in their general characteristics — big fish still eat little fish, or at least littler things, and are affected by environmental changes — but the crappies in one lake might be ...

The pain of painting

The joys of home ownership are infinite. And by “joys” I mean “pain-in-the-patootie maintenance issues.” If a wife says to her husband, “I’m thinking about painting the living room,” what she really means is, “I want you to paint the living room.” The husband might reply, ...

On the Porch

For this column, I often share social news or the gossip columns from the old newspapers. The social news is always fascinating to read and a lot can be learned of local people and events from the communities in Lyon County. For this article, I’m going to share the classifieds from one of ...

What recycling bins are for

Recycling bins have one simple job: collecting recyclables. Somewhere along the way, though, they've been mistaken for donation centers, garbage cans, and occasionally the final resting place for household items that have clearly lived long, adventurous lives. Old garden hoses, broken lawn chairs, faded kiddie pools, mysterious buckets with lids permanently sealed by the passage of time — you name it, someone has tried to recycle it. Unfortunately, recycling trucks don't come equipped with magical sorting elves or a machine that can turn every oddball item into something useful. When ...