TBY: The Best Years

Sometimes, food tastes better than it really does. (Say what?) I later realized the popcorn I popped into my mouth down in the Cape Central High School Tiger Den below the gym at halftime was not necessarily the best popcorn I’ve ever eaten. Yet, nearly 60 years later, it still seems that way. ...

Many people endure a great many meetings as part of their jobs. Meetings seem ubiquitous no matter what profession one pursues. I certainly had to participate in plenty of them during my academic career. Humor writer Dave Barry described meetings better than I could when he said, “If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be ‘meetings.’”...

Robert Harris, Jr. is a Master Gardener. He knows that to reap a bountiful harvest, you first have to plant a small seed. That’s just what he’s doing through the Urban Kid’s Project, a collection of projects he’s founded in Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties that seek to improve the lives of people who “can’t do for themselves.” Through the projects, he and the people he partners with bring food and care to the elderly who aren’t able to leave their homes, school supplies to children, community gardens to areas of Cape Girardeau that don’t have easy access to fresh produce, and more.. ...

Gone are my dancing queen days, and now I’m shakily standing on the shores of adulthood. The boat ride here was long, and for the last few miles, I just wanted to arrive, but now that I’m here, I think I want to turn around and go back. This world is vast and open-ended, and it awakens a quiet fear alongside the excitement in my heart...

Whether you’ve lived in Cape Girardeau your whole life or even just a few years, chances are, you have fallen in love with the beauty, culture and history of Southeast Missouri. To some, it’s a small town. To others, it’s big. Regardless of size, the community continues to thrive, expand and develop. But even as it does, there seems to be a mutual respect for the past, the people and the places that were established before us and a desire to preserve history for future generations...

In “The Lost Apothecary” by Sarah Penner, Caroline never imagined she’d be alone on her anniversary trip to England. But after she learns about her husband’s illicit affair, she is happy to use this trip as an excuse to get away. While she runs around England, she takes the chance to drop the safe itinerary and goes mudlarking in the River Thames. While digging for remnants of history in the mud, Caroline discovers a small glass vial and stumbles onto an unsolved mystery that is centuries old...

When Ben Hunter began growing crawfish as a hobby on he and his wife Amy Jo’s farm outside of Sikeston, Mo., 20 years ago, he didn’t know his passion would someday grow into a full-time operation that included owning a restaurant in Jackson. He didn’t know it would entail a move to Cape Girardeau. ...

Pilot Steven Wood of St. Louis has a passion for airplanes. In pursuit of this passion, he constructed the Wag-A-Bond aircraft, which he flew to the Perryville Regional Airport’s Fly-In event held at the airport’s landing strip May 15. The “experimental” plane, which was built over a period of some 10 years using blueprints he purchased from Wag-Aero, is modeled after the Piper Vagabond aircraft...

Two weeks ago, my heart was aflutter. Not because I was excited about something; it just felt weird, and I was convinced I was having a heart attack. I spoke with my doctor, and she recommended I go to the emergency room as a precaution. It was not a heart attack, thankfully, but I am wearing a heart monitor for a few weeks to see if something is going on in there. ...

Loving and raising a labrador retriever — America’s favorite breed for 30 straight years — can be a fun and fulfilling experience, and having two to bring up can be equally entertaining. Most days. Two years ago this April, two littermate chocolate lab pups came home shortly after my then-8-year-old chocolate lab, Abbie, was put to sleep because of a mast cell tumor. ...

I dearly love a challenge. Over the years, I’ve embraced and enjoyed the challenge of meeting several fairly big ones. I think, though, I may finally have bitten off more than I can chew. This past December 21, I sat at the kitchen table, relaxing and chatting with my son. I’d spent the day making Christmas cookies with my grandchildren, daughter and daughter-in-law, and I’d been eating cookies and other sweets all afternoon...

Narratives of enslaved peoples and divorce documents at the Cape Girardeau County Archives

Keeping your furry friends healthy during warm months

Autumn Abernathy of Jackson was experiencing abnormal headaches, numbness and tingling, and none of the doctors she saw about it could tell her why. Her counselor suggested she take up an activity she loved to do as a child.

As the cryptologic equipment screamed a warning tone and messages poured into the communication station, Christine Dickman says she didn’t have time to feel stressed. “It was overwhelming, but you couldn’t be overwhelmed,” she says. ...

Like most baseball fans in this region, I root for the St. Louis Cardinals. That interest began at age four, amid baseball cards, info-packed Cardinals yearbooks, barber shop talk and radio broadcasts by the unmatched team of Harry Caray, Jack Buck and Joe Garagiola. ...

Humans spend approximately 30 to 40% of their lives sleeping. This is looked upon by some as a waste of time, a significant portion of their life lost. Thomas Edison even described sleep as a criminal waste of time. Not me. I’m a dreamer! Sigmund Freud did some of the most important modern research on dreams and their meaning during the turn of the 20th Century (1900). ...

In "The Midnight Library" by Matt Haig, Nora loses her job, her cat and her only piano student in a single afternoon. She falls into despair as the last meaningful parts of her life disappear. And as the day ends, Nora realizes she doesn’t want to live anymore. Now Nora waits for the handful of pills she swallowed to end her life. But just as midnight arrives, Nora finds herself in front of an enormous library...

I love poetry. I love the way it says so much by hardly saying anything. I love the way language becomes playful through the pen of a skilled artist. I love the way images juxtapose and compile to make new meaning. I think too few people enjoy poetry because there is an assumption that every poem has a right answer that needs to be wrung from it through some mystifying process of decoding symbolism and rhyme and form...

On a wintry day in the early 1980s, Bob Keathley of Bernie, Mo., attended an estate sale near Lebanon, Tenn. The items being sold had been collected by a retired medical doctor who had traveled widely and accumulated a sizable collection of old and historical books. Robert Keathley, who had for years been interested in antiques, was attracted to a row of old books that were to be put up for sale at an upcoming auction...

This month, I’ve decided to put myself to use. After all, that’s what I’m here for, right? So you can learn from and see things from a young person’s viewpoint? So this month, I’ve concocted a list of all the lingo us teens are using. I hope you enjoy seeing into my and my peers’ minds; use at your own risk!...

I step into the Sugar Shack, a small, wooden building at the edge of the driveway of Mark and Christal Gihring’s home near Altenburg, Mo. Outside, the temperature is in the forties during early March, and inside, with the wood-burning fire, it is warm. Sap bubbles in the long, rectangular evaporator, brown boiling down to reach 66% sugar, thin. The light coming in from the framed window lets you see the hazy smoke settling in the sugar air. Breathe in. It smells like maple...

For Nicholas Zuccarini, finding adequate housing is a challenge. When he was younger, he spent time in prison and says he was not well prepared for transitioning out of the prison system, unsure of how to connect with employers and agencies who could help him move his life in the direction he wanted to go. ...

Kaylin Maney, a Little Sister with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri, just turned 16 and is hoping to pass her driver’s license test this week. To celebrate the occasion, she is at the mall with Debbie Sabella, her Big Sister mentor, shopping before they go to Olive Garden for lunch...

Working with seniors is normally a wonderful experience. I enjoy the opportunity to help them with their issues and learn from them. History comes alive when you get to hear about it from those who lived it. Hearing about their adventures and family history is amazing...

Poplar Bluff's Sleep in Heavenly Peace responds to children's need for a restful place to sleep

Department of Conservation sheds light on gardening for Missouri

Donald turned toward me, an inquiring look on his face. With a huge smile on my face, I gave him a thumbs up; he grinned, turned back to the helm of the speed boat he was piloting and moved the throttle so we were racing even faster across Charleston Harbor...

Pen Pal System connects people of different generations

When Jerry Ford met Four-Star Gen. Seth McKee for lunch one day in Phoenix, he had no idea the exchange would lead to a nearly five-year-long writing project, culminating in the publication of the book “Seth: The Life and Journey of General Seth Jefferson McKee” by the Kellerman Foundation for Historic Preservation in 2020. But sometimes, that’s how life goes.

Jane has a secret. Actually, she has seven secrets — each of them a well-placed lie. And every lie helped her life spiral toward the worst version of her world. At least, that is what Jane believes has happened. It all started with her first secret, which fell into place when her best friend Marnie started dating Charles, a wealthy man with a domineering personality. ...

A few weeks ago, while I was surfing the web and looking at memes (as the youths do), I came across an interesting picture of a diary entry from July 20, 1969, with a funny little caption underneath. Neat handwriting adorned the page, and the first few paragraphs detailed the life of a seemingly pre-teen girl from that era. ...

Mildred Wilson of Sikeston, Mo., has always enjoyed physical challenges and competitions. Throughout the past three years, she has competed in a Tough Mudder and a Conquer the Gauntlet race. She knows what it takes to train, endure and finish the race in front of her, letting no obstacle keep her from accomplishing her goal.

I’m so tired of wearing a mask and staying away from people who do not live in my household. Virtual meetings are great, but I miss seeing work partners and going out to eat at a restaurant. I miss my life before COVID-19. I’m sure I am not the only one. However, there is a light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel; there are now several vaccines available...

There have been loads of famous company spokespeople over the years, covering every conceivable product and/or service. During the last decade or so, few have been more prevalent than the fictitious spokeswomen for Progressive Insurance (Flo) and Toyota cars (Jan). Flo has been active for Progressive since 2008, and Jan has sold Toyotas since 2012. In my opinion, the former does a fabulous job and is cool, while the latter is boring and lame. Let’s delve into this phenomenon further...

Sometimes, life weaves our stories together with people in ways we couldn’t foresee until later down the road. That’s what Jerry and Carla Young of Cape Girardeau have found in their journey to each other. Their story goes like this: When Carla was 18 years old, she worked at a store next to a laundromat in Cape Girardeau. ...

In the event they should become diagnosed with a mental disability or depart the earth, most people hope they will leave their family members with unforgettable moments to cherish. Part of allowing your loved ones the ability to treasure your memory in a stress-free way is to leave this life financially stable, ensuring the ones you leave behind can manage your belongings and estate straightforwardly...

Five train enthusiasts are choo-choosing to restore a Jackson icon to full operation. Steam Team members Billy Mikoliza, Nathan Beasley, Aspen Welker, Matthew Terlunen and Lucas Smith are taking the first steps to restore the No. 5 locomotive at the St. Louis Iron Mountain Railway Station in Jackson...

When I was seven years old, I noticed my backyard was home to more than five different trees. I knew they were all different because they all had different leaves. As I was curious and probably a little bored, I decided to research which kinds of trees grew in my yard and put together a little exposé for my parents. ...

In the novel "Once Upon a Sunset" by Tif Marcelo, Diana’s life feels a bit off-kilter now that she’s ended her long-term relationship and lost her grandmother. However, she is determined to take everything in stride. For Diana, this means ignoring her troubles by working as much as possible. ...

What if there was a place right here in our community that afforded writers the support they need to get their work published? What if, through this meaningful local organization, there has been a myriad of writers who have successfully had works published and experienced great success in their writing careers? Would you believe it?...

For some, shortened days and more time spent inside means cozy evenings to themselves. For others, the changing seasons may trigger feelings of lower motivation, worsening mood, trouble sleeping and more. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mental health condition that causes depression symptoms around certain times of the year...

My Mom just turned 72. She is healthy, she still drives and she has no plans to slow down any time soon. I am so glad she is still able to do most things on her own and she can have her independence. We have talked about what could happen in the future, and that we need to have a plan. ...

In January 1956, Cape Girardeau city workers found their ice removal jobs made easier with the use of a blading machine and high-lift. The machine was used to remove the layer of packed snow and ice along Broadway. The unidentified men are standing ready to shovel up any ice that may fall from the high-lift. (G.D. Fronabarger ~ Southeast Missourian archive)...

We can all probably agree 2020 was nothing short of a challenge. COVID-19, unrest and violence in cities across our country, political campaigns, and the election and its aftermath all merged to create what meteorologists call “the perfect storm.” No doubt, you’re hoping for a calm and well-behaved 2021. Instead, I’m going to invite you to not only invite challenges into your life this year but to embrace them...

In a recent edition of Gun Dog Magazine, editor Kali Parmley writes, "It's bad luck to wash one's field jacket, you see. That fabric holds memories of long days spent hunting behind good bird dogs. Why wash them away?" This past Thanksgiving, I sat in a duck blind wearing a familiar Redhead brand hunting jacket hoping to blend in new memories with new friends. It was the first time I had booked a guided duck hunt over a dry field and was hoping for a new experience with my chocolate lab, Dawn...

Jess Clayton from Jackson, Missouri, has always been a reader. As an only child raised by a single mother who grew up without a television in the home, Clayton learned from a young age how to dive head-first into other worlds. At the time, those alternative worlds had her solving mysteries with Nancy Drew or living the farm life with Laura Ingalls Wilder...

Reading the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder at the age of nine gave me reason to believe my life was pretty special. After all, she wrote about many things I could relate to from my own family. It didn’t take long, and I developed an appreciation for things from...