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My Mother: Bouffants, bargains, bravery

Mother’s Day is here, and until now, I’ve never truly shared much about my mother. I’ve mentioned her here and there, but today, I’m diving in headfirst. My relationship with my mother wasn’t always smooth. But as I grew older and became a parent myself, I’ve learned to view her through a more compassionate and understanding lens. It’s easy to spot the flaws in someone, especially a parent, but choosing to focus on their strengths is where understanding comes, and love deepens. I was a child of the 1960s, and my mother taught my brother and me the value of hard work. ...

Ashlie Crosson more than deserving of teaching award

Mifflin County’s very own Ashlie Crosson was officially awarded Tuesday with the title of National Teacher of the Year. I personally can not think of anyone more deserving of such an award. As a 2024 graduate of Mifflin County High School, I had the great honor of experiencing first hand the amazing teaching skills that have earned Crosson this recognition. I have countless anecdotes I could share exemplifying the great impact learning from Crosson had on my life, but the greatest one is me writing this - as a reporter for the Lewistown Sentinel, much of my professional ...

Nana’s Disney adventure continues magic

Last time we were together, I shared days one and two of my great Disney adventure with my son, his wife, and my two grandchildren, Sloan, who is six, and Oliver, who is four. Today, we pick up the magic with days three and four. On day three, we kicked off the day with a trip to Hollywood Studios. By now, we had accumulated quite the assortment of merchandise — balloons, toys, souvenirs — and there was no convincing the kids to leave their new treasures behind at the hotel. The stroller had turned into a mobile gift shop. If the kids jumped out and you weren’t hanging on, it ...

Leftovers create fine dining in Bev’s Kitchen

Hello from the kitchen! Unless you live in a cave, I’m sure you’ve seen the price of groceries in the stores. It tends to make us use up as much as possible and not throw out leftovers. I love making new dishes from what’s in the crisper drawer. My most recent creation was “crisper drawer soup” made from leftover items. In a soup pot, throw in leftover chicken, chicken stock, part of a jar of salsa, a handful of chopped peppers and onion, corn, leftover Mac and cheese, herbs and a couple tablespoons of taco seasoning. Put a lid on the pot and simmer for a couple hours. ...

Easter memories and specialties from Bev’s Kitchen

Happy Easter week from the kitchen! However you decide to spend Easter Sunday, I do hope there’s food involved. As a child growing up, I remember my mom making baked ham, mashed potatoes, corn and baked beans. Also, we had filling and gravy and pickled or deviled eggs. It was a comfort food feast and was made more special because the ham was from our farm-raised pigs and the corn and potatoes from the field that we all helped to harvest. My Mom was always prepared with Easter baskets filled with goodies. No small feat with eight children. My Easter menu this year is grilled ham, ...

Nana’s Disney adventure filled with magic

I just returned from a trip to Disney World with my son, his wife, and two of my grandchildren — Sloan and Oliver. It had been decades since my last visit, and to say things have changed is a gross understatement. I tried to prepare myself both mentally and physically for the trip, but nothing could have fully prepared me for what was ahead. I had my nails painted in Disney colors and shapes, my brand-new Mickey Mouse backpack was packed, and my Mickey pajamas and T-shirt, along with my warm-weather clothes, were neatly tucked into my carry-on. I was ready for adventure. The first ...