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Laughs, love, and little feet

My seven grandchildren (number eight is on the way) never cease to amaze me. Just when I think they can’t get any funnier or more adorable — they do! Recently, I had the opportunity to assist my daughter-in-law, Katie, as she unpacked the moving trucks for her mother, who was relocating from Kentucky to Pennsylvania. After unwrapping box number 25, we had quite the mountain of crumpled packing paper heaped on the floor. My four-year-old grandson, Oliver, was having the time of his life, running across the room and leaping into the pile like it was a mound of fall leaves. At the ...

Bev shares family memories from the kitchen

Hello from the kitchen! I see many of you are already counting down the days until spring. As I get older, I try not to wish for the days to go faster. I remember my Dad telling me once to stop wishing my life away because it’ll go faster than you think. So I’m enjoying life one day at a time. Yesterday was the anniversary of my Mother’s passing, so I thought I’d highlight a few of her favorite dishes she made for us. Potpie was often made. Whether ham, chicken or beef, it was always good. Along with apple butter and cottage cheese on bread, it made for an excellent meal. ...

Remembering the 1887 Mifflin County sleigh ride murder trial

It was a dark and stormy night when it all began. Well, perhaps it wasn’t, but the winter of 1886 did bring a chilling tale to Mifflin County, one that would resonate in local folklore for years to come. What began as a seemingly ordinary evening took a dark turn, resulting in the tragic death of John Akely. This case — marked by mystery, scandal, and unanswered questions — remains a dark chapter in our local history. As you picture a Victorian winter scene with a horse-drawn sleigh gliding across freshly fallen snow, it might be hard to imagine a sense of foreboding. Yet on that ...

Embracing the leap: A New Year’s adventure awaits

Here we are again, standing on the cusp of another year, ready to take the plunge into the unknown. Will it be a terrifying, uncontrolled free fall or a leisurely, floating descent? That remains to be seen. Even though we don’t possess a magical crystal ball to reveal the future, would you want one? Isn’t it the unpredictability that makes life an adventure — a journey into the unknown? That’s not to say we shouldn’t plan or work to avoid harm and pitfalls. But isn’t there something exhilarating about that feeling of excitement and freedom right as we leap into a new ...

Christmas is season for compassion

Christmas, as I contemplated writing about this topic, I wondered: what is there to say that has not already been said? I, along with countless others, have written on this subject many times. I had to pause to reflect on what fresh words I could offer about this much-anticipated holiday season. The lens I have chosen to compose through is not necessarily a rose-colored one, but an honest and important one. While many of us look forward to this season filled with family, friends, and hustle and bustle, what about those who do not? What about those who are alone or lonely? Yes, there is ...

Give Ohio State football coach Ryan Day his due

The traditional rivalry week of the college football season unfortunately concluded with some ugly visuals. Brawls broke out at the end of the Ohio State-Michigan game along with fights after wins by Arizona State, Florida and North Carolina State. Attempts by the victorious road teams to plant school flags on their opponents’ fields triggered ire, as this is viewed by players defending their home turf as the worst sign of disrespect. For Ohio State, emotions were demoralizing and extremely painful after suffering a fourth straight loss to the team up north, as we say in Buckeye land. ...