| More chicken tales, or should I say, necks? |
The “Little Chicken” column I wrote a few weeks ago prompted several readers to share chicken stories from their childhood. A common memory they shared was watching mom or dad (it was usually mom) wring the neck of a chicken by giving it several good swinging twists, followed by a quick jerk of the wrist to snap its head off.
Thursday, September 02, 2010 |
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| Enjoy a quiet walk at one of our crown jewels |
Happy is the man (or woman) who, in old age, can still place one foot in front of the other to go for a walk. Doing so can bring pleasure and prolong life. When I was younger I walked primarily for cardio exercise, but I was never very good at it.
Thursday, August 26, 2010 |
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| Life is lived best when it is lived in the moment |
On Sunday I attended the visitation service in Columbus of a business colleague who had become a good friend over the years. On several occasions we had the opportunity to talk about life and family, and I know how deeply he loved both.
Sunday, August 22, 2010 |
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| There are three basic rules for a happy marriage |
Yvonne and I had dinner last Saturday night with her cousin, M.E. Steele-Pierce, who was also her maid of honor in our wedding 44 years ago. Sharon Eustace, another dear friend of more than 45 years, was also with us for dinner, and it just so happens that Sharon was also one of Yvonne’s bridesmaids. M.E. and Sharon were joined by their husbands, delightful chaps named Bob and Bob.
Thursday, August 12, 2010 |
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| Just call me ‘Little Chicken’ |
If you’re over age 60 and grew up in the country, your folks probably raised chickens for eggs and for an occasional Sunday dinner. I don’t mean to sound sentimental about the “good old days,” but the backyard chicken coop is a piece of Americana that I miss.
Thursday, August 05, 2010 |
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| A close encounter with the security officials |
Even if you don’t fly, you’ve probably heard that the airlines are now charging $25 to check a bag. So when Yvonne and I flew to Las Vegas last week on vacation, we decided to fit everything into carryon bags. This decision included a requirement we never had to worry about in the past.
Thursday, July 29, 2010 |
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| Batavia’s farmers’ market dates to the early 1800s |
I stopped by the Batavia farmer’s market again last Saturday to purchase some more of Cliff Weaver’s Peaches & Cream sweet corn. Yvonne gave me a twenty dollar bill to buy some corn and tomatoes and said to bring her change back. Well, I got a little carried away with the good buys at the market and only brought back one dollar. More about what I bought at the market, and Yvonne’s reaction in a minute.
Thursday, July 22, 2010 |
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| Support local farmers and garden centers |
I hope your tomato plants are doing better than ours. We have seven nice looking plants, but the blossoms have been slow to set. We finally have a lot of thumbnail size tomatoes coming on, but only seven that will ripen within the next couple of weeks. We did all the things we always do, like planting them in a sunny location, and fertilizing each plant with a handful of homegrown compost.
Thursday, July 15, 2010 |
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| Thank Heavens for the spelling Angels! |
The Literacy Council of Clermont & Brown Counties recently held its 18th annual Spelling Bee competition, and as we have for most of those 18 years, Clermont Senior Services participated in the competition.
Thursday, July 15, 2010 |
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| Some reflections on the history of growing older |
With coffee cup in hand I sat down on the back porch last Saturday morning, and flipped on the radio. It was 6 a.m. and the NPR station was broadcasting the news live from the BBC in London. I started to change the station but then heard a guy talking about the science of growing old so I listened in.
Thursday, July 15, 2010 |
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| Lucky is the little boy who has a big sister |
My big sister is a year and a half older than me. She is the only big sister I have and I’m lucky to have her. Actually, I don’t know what I would have done without her when we were kids. Sadly, we grew up in an exceedingly dysfunctional home.
Thursday, June 24, 2010 |
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| There should be a little bit of Thoreau in all of us |
Our backyard is like a small park. It is filled with flowers and trees, and a great variety of birds, attracted in part by the 18 birdhouses we’ve scattered around the yard for their enjoyment. Squirrels and rabbits run and bounce around competing for our attention. Beyond our backyard lies a large hayfield waiting to be mowed.
Friday, June 18, 2010 |
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| Watch out for the ‘Grandma’ scam being used against seniors |
The Ohio Department of Insurance's fraud division is warning Ohio grandparents about a new fraud scheme dubbed "The Grandparent Scam.” The scammer, posing as the senior's grandchild, makes a distressed phone call, and asks the grandparent to wire money to get them out of trouble. Reportedly, this scam has shown up in at least a dozen states around the country, including Ohio.
Thursday, June 10, 2010 |
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| Meals-on-wheels program has a permanent home in new kitchen |
Construction began recently on a new kitchen facility, which will provide a permanent home for the meals-on-wheels program operated by Clermont Senior Services. The new facility is located next to the agency’s offices at 2085 James E. Sauls Sr. Drive in Williamsburg Township.
Saturday, June 05, 2010 |
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| The roots of Great Grandma’s rose bush run very deep |
My Great Grandma, Alice (Boyd) Brown, was born in 1863 at the height of the Civil War. She passed away at the ripe old age of 95 in 1958. It is difficult to imagine what my Great Grandma must have thought about all the changes that took place during her lifetime.
Thursday, May 27, 2010 |
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| What’s on your bucket list? |
In 2007 Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson starred in a movie titled, “The Bucket List.” The movie is about two old guys who are terminally ill. They decide to make a list of things they want to do before they “kick the bucket,” and then they set about the business of trying to do everything on their list.
Friday, May 21, 2010 |
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| A tribute to a great older American, Lois Dale Brown |
May is Older Americans Month. We are fortunate to live in American and in Clermont County, which is a great place to live at any age. It is an especially great place to live during your later years, if you happen to need a little extra help to continue enjoying the comfort of your own home.
Thursday, May 13, 2010 |
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| Clermont Senior Services opens its sixth housing facility |
This past weekend was wet and soggy outside, but the halls of Summerside Woods were warm and dry, and spirits were high, as 45 senior citizens began moving into their new home on Summerside Road in Union Township. A grand opening and dedication ceremony is planned for June 29. More details about this event will be provided at a later date.
Friday, May 07, 2010 |
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| Tangling with a bobcat at Paint Creek State Park was frightening |
Last week I pulled our Scotty travel trailer out Route 50 to Paint Creek State Park for a couple of days. Sunny days in April are a great time to go camping because, except for a few other hardy souls, you have the campgrounds and trails all to yourself.
Thursday, April 29, 2010 |
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| There’s nothing quite like a taste of Tennessee moonshine |
Last week we drove down to Knoxville, Tennessee to spend a few days with our good friends Bob and Sharon. As we pulled out to come home Friday morning, I suggested to Yvonne that we take a scenic loop up through Big South Fork National Recreation Area, and get on I-75 at Williamsburg, Kentucky.
Thursday, April 22, 2010 |
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