Opinion

Our front porch wasn’t fancy. Rickety wood risers held in place by raised, rusty nails led the way up onto a platform made of curling slats of untreated lumber. The porch gave away the age of our house and flounced its flaws with unabashed boldness. Its defiance in remaining attached and sound for supporting the…

I don’t know how many times I have crossed a ridge thinking I was some place that I wasn’t. I don’t know how many times I have crested a hill thinking I’ll be able to see something I didn’t. I don’t know how many times I have rounded a bend to discover an additional path…

I am quoting a friend in this headline. And yes, he is right. The ticks are really bad right now. Ticks love warm, moist weather and we have had plenty of it lately. For me, it is so bad that every day, I usually bring home several “tick buddies” whose apparent mission is to “know”…

I finally made my trip to the river. I had been longing for this day for a few weeks now. It had been over a year since I had made this solitary float down the Clinch River. There are so many beautiful areas to put and take out. But I picked one of my favorites.…

We have certainly been hearing a lot about those “senior moments” lately, haven’t we? Whether on the national stage or at home in front of our children, we seniors realize just how embarrassing those “senior moments” can be, whether it is forgetting the last name of someone we have known for years or really doing…

When it comes to voter registration, it seems there are always rumors floating around, especially in an election year. With that in mind, I would like to offer a few first-hand facts about voter registration and what it takes to maintain an accurate voter list. In Illinois, voter registration is open to all “qualified” residents.…

I’m friendly in the ticket line. I weave through the cattle guards with a docile gait and a generic smile on my face. We’re all God’s children, after all. And we all just want to see a movie. I watch clumps of humanity with similar facial features belly up to the window and mumble self-consciously…

Rocky Fork is a year-round creek that flows past Annie’s horse barn. It has its ups and downs but normally there is a one to two foot depth in that creek with deeper pools here and there. And thanks to the efforts of the Great Rivers Land Trust and the various landowners that border Rocky…

My granddaughter scraped her leg and her mother applied antiseptic cream guaranteed not to sting or stain. Bree hopped up afterwards and was off to play immediately. I’m glad it was painless for her. But I couldn’t help feeling a pang of nostalgia. She had been born too late to experience one of the most…