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It’s Amazing!

Do you realize that every day is amazing? In today’s society with the constant onslaught of awful and wearying news, it’s very easy to get worn down and not see the wonders around us. Let’s explore some goodness... Every day you awake, you have an entire and amazing day before you. Yes, we have our habits of getting to work (or not), eating, getting home, eating and, then, whatever you do to finish the waking hours. The drum beat is pretty much the same, and we may not notice all that’s around us offering beauty or wonder. Interrupt that habitual pattern of life and look ...

Going for the gold

The Winter Olympics have arrived, that quadrennial phenomenon that should be called the “It’s Cold Enough Out There to Freeze the Whiskers Off a Polar Bear!” I have nothing against people who enjoy winter sporting events. But I’ve had my fill of cold, having grown up in a drafty old farmhouse where you could see your breath when you crawled out of bed on subzero winter mornings. We mortals watch, gobsmacked, as superhuman athletes perform superhuman feats of athleticism. Thanks to the TV commentators’ observations, we soon become critics. “His left skate slid two ...

In memory

Like most of my minor honey-dos from the end of year, going through old clothing to donate to the local thrift store ended up getting done two months into the following tax calendar; mostly due to deer hunting and some late season pheasant tromps that took up the last weekends before a holiday vacation. No matter, the box of shirts, old jeans and a couple of sweaters will still likely be worth the same on next year’s filing as it would have been on this one, save for the fact that as I sorted through the faded tees and holey pants, I was afforded a free trip back in time. While ...

Country School Kids – Verlane Willard Ross and Lois Willard Giles – Moving on from District 84

We have been learning about Verlane and Lois Willard growing up with their three sisters on their farm in Sodus Township, Lyon County and attending the District 84 country school. The sisters well-recalled the visits of the Lyon County Schools Superintendent to their school. (Both sisters) Jenny Frost! (Verlane) She would bring books. (Lois) Yes! She would come to our school and then you would pick (books); read them; and bring them back. Then she’d go on to another school. (Verlane) I think every six weeks she would bring a new box of books for us. She had a puppet, Felix the ...

On the Porch

Happy Valentine’s Day! Each year on February 14, Valentine’s Day is celebrated by many people throughout the world for the day is celebrated as a holiday in several countries. The norm is to exchange cards, candy, gifts, and flowers with a special “valentine” and loved ones. According to the History Channel website, approximately 150 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine’s Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas. According to the Greeting Card Association, women purchase approximately 85 percent of all ...

The place of morals in life

Morals and living a moral life are needed to have a successful life. Morals can be a strong contributor to making the best,correct decisions. What are morals? By the book, morals are what is right and what is wrong. It is an understanding of what is good or bad behavior. They contribute to living a healthy civilized life. If we all live a life that includes morals, maybe then we could live together productively and peacefully. Instead of fighting, we could be kind and honest with each other, and be useful contributors to society. How do psychologists tend to look at morals? ...