Hi! I’m back! Did you miss me? (Don’t answer that, it’s rhetorical.) more

Some mornings are just for lying in bed and reading a book. The sky is gray, thunder rolls in the distance, rain begins to pelt against the windows in the house – yes, a day for staying in bed and reading a book. more

It’s hard to believe, but summer is halfway over and back-to-school thoughts and promotions will soon be replacing summer activity plans. more

My husband, Darren, and I saw the movie “Sound of Freedom” over the weekend. more

Sedalia, established in 1860, thought of itself as a “live” city, the term used by editors of the day to describe a progressive town. It demonstrated this attitude in part by the number of amenities it offered, ones that many towns equal to it in size did not have. more

Perhaps the most disappointing ruling from this year’s Supreme Court term is — oh, for heaven’s sake. Many were disappointing — but predictable. Well, I was disappointed in the Court’s decision regarding a person’s expression of “religious freedom” when it comes to not serving a group of people. The case centers around a web designer who doesn’t want to design wedding web sites for gay couples, as the idea of same-sex marriage goes against her religious beliefs. She sued the State of Colorado, stating that the state’s law against discrimination against LGBTQ people infringed on her First Amendment rights of free speech and freedom of religion. more

I like to think of myself as pretty eloquent, in print. I can write a good poem or a witty turn of phrase. I easily switch between humorous and charming, or stern and strident, or filled with pathos. God seems to have given me some small talent for the written word. more

Lately, my daily walks have included listening to a book on Libby while I get my steps in. You can listen on the Libby app too – you just need your library card number! more

During the last two decades of the 19th century, most small towns in Missouri worked to find factories that would locate in their towns, bringing jobs and more money into the community. Most were successful. Some found a food processing firm to can locally grown vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers. Others found shoe or garment manufacturers to produce their products. more

Amazon has a new competitor that is currently making a strong push to become the leading e-commerce mega-store worldwide. more

The Missouri State Fair must be uppermost in a lot of people’s minds at this time of the year, as it was in mine most of my growing up years. In 1955, however, I was living with my aunt and uncle in Kansas for the summer. That year what was uppermost in my mind was the Kansas State Fair in Hutcheson, Kansas. Wait-no, what was uppermost in my mind was the Kansas girls I was meeting thanks to my good fortune of having two teen age girl cousins to introduce me to all their girlfriends. more

The Supreme Court’s recent series of decisions – overturning Affirmative Action, basing a decision on a hypothetical case rather than a real one, muddying the waters regarding separation of powers – has challenged my good humor. Taken together, they are overwhelming, but I have room for only one case today: the one where the Court has again ignored precedent for a disingenuous reason. I fear it will have far-reaching consequences. more

I work out at the Heckart Community Center gym three days a week, with the other two weekdays devoted to an hour each of tai chi. more

As we are now in the middle of hummingbird season, here are some tips to attract hummingbirds to your yard and how to properly care for feeders. more

There are two memories from my childhood in this column – one is about the Missouri State Fair and the other is about “Old Smokie,” which sits on a short piece of track on the fairgrounds. I have written about both before and will probably do so again somewhere down the road. more

Late 19th-century Sedalia seemed to attract a large number of cons artists and swindlers who preyed on the unsuspecting. The Sedalia Bazoo reported on them as they came and went, sometimes without attracting the notice of law enforcement until the con was completed and the swindler had vanished. more

Bits and pieces: more

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” – Deuteronomy 15: 7-8 more

In early September 1890, according to the Sedalia Weekly Bazoo, a man who called himself Porter arrived in Sedalia. The 35-year-old man was about 5 feet, 5 inches tall and had square shoulders, auburn hair and a heavy mustache. He wore cowboy boots and told people he was a mule buyer from LaJora, Colorado. He wore a Grand Army of the Republic badge, meaning that he was a veteran of the Civil War, and was from Custer Post, No. 2, in Saguachi, Colorado. more

Our family had an amazing vacation staying with our oldest daughter just outside of Destin, Florida, last week. It was much needed. more