As a city-bred person, I always thought that life in the country would be idyllic: scenic, slow paced, clean air, healthy living, strong sense of community and more. Well, much of this is true; however, what I didn't know anything about was critters! We have critters here that are like an unending plague. We can control them - but rarely, if ever, get rid of them.
When the phone rang, I knew who was on the other end: Skeeter Skates, owner of Skeeter's Tree Stump Removal and Plow Repair in Greater Metropolitan Pooler. I can't tell you exactly why but the phone always sounds more urgent when Skeeter calls.
I spent two days with my Macon grandchildren in Macon last week while they were on spring break and their parents were working. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, but different.
Spring is here, and after we sailed past Good Friday and the risk of frost, it is now planting time! I've bought seeds and pots and I'm ready to plant something.
Last week saw the conclusion of this year's legislative session. In three all-day floor sessions, we considered 22 bills and resolutions, and also worked through more than 40 reviews of amendments and compromise positions between House and Senate versions of bills.
I heard the whoosh of a sliding door and the hurried clip-clop of a man's shoes on the tile floor, but I couldn't see him as the elevator doors closed across my view.
Are women equal to men? Are Jews equal to gentiles? Are blacks equal to Italians, Irish, Polish and other white people?
We are constantly admonished to live in the moment and decried if we appear to be living in the past. The past is behind us and cannot be changed. The future lies ahead, unpredictable and out of our control.
Just last week, I was commiserating with other moms of middle-school teenage girls about the lack of appealing clothing available to teenage girls and the appalling state of girl teenage fashion today.
I want to suggest to you that there are at least four good reasons why Jesus came to earth.
My erstwhile outdoor cat Julianne has gotten used to the good life with a vengeance.
Last week saw the House closing in on the end of this year's legislative session - we only have one week to go. The committees were working through Senate bills, so we had more to consider on the House floor. We voted on 38 bills and resolutions during the week.
I decided to let my remaining hair grow a lot longer than it normally does, and someone suggested I "must be in a mid-life crisis." Well, yeah! I've been in a mid-life crisis for at least 12 years now, and I have no intention of ending it anytime soon.
After reading Dr. Thomas Sowell's latest book, "Intellectuals and Race," one cannot emerge with much respect for the reasoning powers of intellectuals, particularly academics, on matters of race. There's so much faulty logic and downright dishonesty.
Sigh… It's a word to describe a sound we make. But, the meaning can only be discerned by listening closely to the sound.
I don't know about you, but I'm really looking forward to Saturday.
I've wished for a white Christmas so many times it seems unreal that it may actually happen today.
When I was growing up in Porterdale, we had Christmas programs with folks singing all the Christmas carols in the gym. There was a huge tree in the center of the floor. It was a beautiful site.
As in most small cities, our downtown has experienced a sharp turnover in businesses in recent years. Retail businesses in small towns have faced competition from shopping centers with convenient parking and a greater variety of merchandise.
Thirteen years ago, before 8,000 teachers in Louisiana's capitol city, I watched in amazement as East Harlem public school teacher Kay Toliver held all in awe with a two-hour demonstration of effective teaching strategies combined with her commitment to the human touch in teaching. Two years ago, in Williamsburg, Va., I observed this same 30-year classroom veteran as she stressed her long-held belief that "powerful teaching includes the human touch."
I'm amazed each Christmas at how the whole world comes to a halt of sorts. Virtually every educated, civilized person aware of the calendar and in possession of modern communication devices knows that on this day Christians around the world celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Moslems, agnostics and atheists all know Jesus, whose followers claim him to be the Son of God, Savior, the propitiation for the sins of the world.
This time of year brings great joy as well as great stress. There is often too much to do, too much to eat, too much to drink, too little sleep and too much family. It's easy to get caught up in the holiday frenzy and forget the meaning and value behind the holidays, the holy days.
Now that you have finished shopping, wrapping, decorating, planning, cooking, packing, traveling, welcoming, there is one more thing.
"T'was the night before Christmas and all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse." Except that's not true this year at our house. On the night before Christmas, this house was alive With cats racing, wrestling and taking a dive. To the rafters they jumped, then slid down the stairs Knocked over the greenery, then hid in their lairs. Sonny was ...
For weeks, I awaited a call that never came from Gov.-elect Nathan Deal informing me that I would be a member of his transition team.
Christmas was simple when the children were young. Most years we'd celebrate at our home. Grandparents would come to us, and we'd open the gifts Christmas Eve night. Santa always came to our house first, (he has to start somewhere, after all). Santa timed his visits perfectly, arriving after the grandparents had taken our offspring out to look at the holiday lights. Donna and I would stay behind to clean ...
Fall's all but gone and winter's coming on and for Newton County it promises to be a hard one. There's not much letup in the drip, drip, drip of the Great Recession. And the political greed of local miscreants can only make it worse.
The executive director of the Flannery O'Connor-Andalusia Foundation visited the Floyd Street library last week. A guest of Newton County Friends of the Library, Craig Amason presented an interesting overview of ongoing preservation efforts at Andalusia, Connor's home just north of Milledgeville. More fascinating were his insightful comments regarding one of Georgia's truly amazing authors.
I believe in Christmas. I believe as a Christian that Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Son of God. The Messiah. I believe you have the right to disagree with me, but I know what I believe in my heart. I believe no Christmas is official until someone sings "O Holy Night" (no crooning, please) on Christmas Eve. I will accept the "Hallelujah Chorus" from ...
I tried to check out the Geminid meteor shower before dawn on Tuesday.