In my first column of the new year, I wrote that I had a lot of learning experiences in 2022, ranging from how to style my naturally curly hair to embracing new perspectives. It seems that theme is already carrying over into 2023. more

I don’t know what got me thinking about hometowns; maybe it was a phone call from an old girlfriend telling me about her visit to Poplar Bluff and meeting up with members of her high school crowd. more

Everyone loves a good story. Tall tales of fish that got away, recaps of high school glory on the basketball court, even those hair-raising moments on our bikes when we would pretend to be Evel Knievel. more

I woke up Sunday morning to a text from my bank asking if I had approved a transaction for $1,093 to an Airbnb in San Francisco, California. I woke my husband up and asked him if we were planning a trip to San Francisco that I wasn’t aware of. more

According to the 1880s History of Pettis County, one of the stores destroyed by the fire that struck West Main Street in January 1868 was a hardware store managed by Stewart and Jenkins. Like most of the hardware stores of the day, the store sold a variety of nails, other fasteners, and woodworking and metalworking tools. It also sold queensware, a type of heavy ironstone dinnerware and dishware. more

In our day, you can turn on the TV or search the web and find someone preaching some spirituality about how to have a better life, a new answer to a better you, a spiritual power to create a better now. more

Christmas decorations are down, most present exchanges (and returns) have probably taken place, some gift cards and cash have been spent. Christmas seems to be over, but as our Deacon preached this … more

I’m writing about my grandmother again, as I so often do. She died 12 years ago this week. I still take time to grieve, but the memories get kinder with every passing year. Many of my good … more

A while ago, I wrote about a Christmas miracle. A young bride, on her way to her new in-laws’ house for Christmas dinner, was to take a vegetable dish. About an hour into the three-hour drive, … more

OK, I admit it — I am a football fan! I am not the paint my face, cut the Chiefs logo into my hair type of fan, but I do have several Chiefs sweatshirts that go back decades in my closet. On … more

​​How often do we show our children that we love them and what actions specifically define the way in which we show our affection? Is it enough to verbalize the words “I love you” … more

People moving to a new community often need new furniture, so one would guess that a furniture store would open quickly after a town was established. However, the 1882 History of Pettis County does … more

Another year is coming to an end and 2023 will rush in before we know it. As I reflect on 2022, I can think of so many good times, new experiences and personal growth. At this time last year, I … more

The parking lot at the northwest corner of West Main Street and Ohio Avenue was once the site of perhaps the most elaborate of the Italianate-style buildings on West Main Street. The lot has an … more

When George R. Smith filed the plat for Sedalia in 1860, the street north of the Pacific Railroad tracks was called North Main Street. The street on the south side of the railroad tracks was called … more

The Carpenters sang a song I remember all too well around now – “Rainy Days and Mondays” – because it’s rainy and damp, though not Monday.  The grayness of the … more

“Never trust a man who cares too much about his hair,” my mother used to say.  This advice has carried me far in life.  When I pass on these words of wisdom to my own … more

If you remember, the month of September was National Public Library Card Sign up Month and I’m happy to say we were busy! We signed up or renewed 757 cardholders, with around 450 of them being … more

When I read the piece in the Sedalia Democrat about Cash Hardware, it brought back a lot of memories about the old store. I doubt that there is anyone within 50 miles of Sedalia who was alive when … more

The Christmas season is upon us. With that, the hustle and bustle of trying to make everything special for our loved ones sometimes becomes overwhelming and our minds become one-tracked: just get it … more