I'm not a big fan of social media. I shut down my Instagram and Twitter accounts long ago and I've only logged in to Facebook three times in the past six months, namely to find contact information for a story I was researching. I used to spend hours a day caught up in the lives of others, ...
In a rural community like ours, small businesses are a source of pride and a vital aspect of a thriving main street. The economic impact dealt by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has forced our local businesses to adapt or close entirely and the effects have been felt by all, including this ...
We have grown so accustomed to a solitary lifestyle, news from Governor Kim Reynolds that we will have a limited "re-opening" in Iowa the end of this week is good news ... I think. It's a relief, but it's also a little frightening.This good news affects most of Iowa, with the exception of a few ...
One would think, with more at-home time, the to-do list would dwindle. But, there is always something more to do.One of the items on my personal to-do list is to respond to the 2020 Census. I received two invitations in the mail to go online to fill out the Census form, complete with my ...
Tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22, marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Founded in 1970 after a massive oil spill prompted a teach-in on college campuses to educate the public about the environment, Earth Day has become a day to inspire everyone to protect our planet. While it may be easy to ...
Isn't this supposed to be Spring?Easter Sunday dawned with snow on the ground. And it kept snowing and blowing all day long. The birds were all fluffed out, trying to keep warm Hopefully most of it has melted by the time you read this on Tuesday.The week prior, most everyone had put away their ...
When we were just getting used to "cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns," we are now facing the reality that everything is put on hold - at least until April 30, and maybe beyond that. Time will tell.As days stretch out like Groundhog Day, it's a challenge of what to do first. There are a million ...
The COVID-19 pandemic and the effort to stop its spread by social distancing and self-quarantine has completely disrupted our typical routines, forcing us into an almost unrecognizable new normal of empty restaurants, vacant sidewalks, closed parks, and canceled (everything) for the foreseeable ...
The past couple of weeks have been (insert adjective here). Strange, frustrating, and worrisome instantly come to my mind. Our small community has shuttered its doors to brace for the onslaught of a viral pandemic the likes of which most of us have never before experienced. The last instance ...
There are so many acts of kindness with people pulling together during this time of crisis. It makes me proud to live in a close-knit, small, rural community. We know how to take care of one another.When restaurants were given notification their only option was carry-out, the people responded. ...