TBY: The Best Years

For some people, the arrival of spring means it’s time to work in the garden, air up the bicycle tires or clean the grill. For me, the first day of spring means it’s time to buy a stack of index cards, several ink pens and a variety pack of highlighters. Because along with biking and walking and watching Cardinals baseball, spring is when I begin preparing for National Novel Writing Month, or, as it’s more commonly called, NaNoWriMo...

he late Bollinger County artist Tom Runnels was known for his welded steel sculptures — some up to six feet in height — as well as his drawings and newspaper columns depicting rural life with biting wit, quirky humor and deep heart. He owed much of the foundation for his art to studying with a Japanese artist while stationed with the Air Force in Japan...

In 1994, Alan Hirsch, neurological director at the Chicago-based Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation, studied odors and male arousal in 25 medical students using floral and perfume scents. The researchers picked the scent of baked cinnamon buns as a control because they didn’t expect cinnamon buns to elicit a sexual response. “The cinnamon rolls turned out to be the sexiest odor,” said Hirsch. So, while Valentine’s Day may be over, you can still show some affection by baking...

For the Hotops of Perry County, observing family tradition begins before dawn. When the January sky lightens around 6:50 a.m., the family works together to light a fire. The soon-crackling blaze signals the beginning of a day of hog butchering on the Hotop’s property near Brazeau in Perry County...

Daniel Mayrock makes lists to track his dwindling savings. He compiles records of the various texts he receives from his wife. He itemizes the stupid things he says. And he numbers all the reasons why he can’t measure up to a dead man. Everything in Dan’s life can be found in his notebook, everything except the money he needs to make ends meet, the desire to speak to his long-lost dad and any viable solution to his problems...

Barbara Rose Rust is a Cape Girardeau native writing vignettes about her childhood for her children and grandchildren, considering her growing up was very different from theirs. This is the first in a three-part series in which she shares these anecdotes with TBY readers, too...

If you miss cool, dewy mornings listening to birds as you tend to your garden, you’re in luck: the gardening season is upon us. The final tendrils of winter are releasing their grasp, and spring’s mellow days are almost here to stay. Before you begin sowing this year’s crop, local horticulture specialist Donna Aufdenberg has advice for gardeners of all experience levels. Here are five tips she has specifically for those in Southeast Missouri...

The Missouri Silver Haired Legislature — often called SHL — is a group of Missouri citizens aged 60 or older who volunteer their time to advocate on behalf of the older adults in Missouri. These delegates are elected from each of the 10 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in Missouri. Each AAA delegation consists of 12 representatives and three senators. The Missouri Silver Haired Legislature, created in 1973, is the first such organization in the United States...

One thing I learned at Trinity Lutheran School: our teachers cared about us and were inspired by their Christian faith to set a good example. My TLS experience began with kindergarten in 1958, with two nurturing young women who taught us the solid foundations of education...

I have a theory that in a blind test, you can tell a male from a female by asking one simple question: how many pairs of shoes do you own? If the number is less than 10, you’re a male. If it’s more than 30, you’re a (normal) female. If it’s more than 300, you’re Imelda Marcos...

Food has a way of bringing people together. By gathering around the table, we get a glimpse into the lives of others. With something as simple as a meal, we connect and converse and enjoy. We come to realize our differences are less than they seem, but our similarities are great. We all are friends. We all are family. We all love food. And it’s the love of good food that has been bringing people together at China Palace for almost 25 years...

George: Will you love me for the rest of my life? Lace: No. I’ll love you for the rest of mine. — “Phenomenon” When my father died, the loss was sudden and disorienting. I couldn’t sleep. My brain felt fuzzy. My husband and dear friends took care of my children — aged 7, 4 and not quite 1 at the time — while my sister, mother and I planned the funeral. ...

I know a lot of people consider the fall soup season, but since our October started in the 90s here in Southeast Missouri, winter is more of a soup season for me. I was looking for a recipe that would dovetail nicely with my desire for a warm soup supper on a cold day, a new year’s goal of getting my family to eat more vegetables and the ever-present need for convenience when we are running from school to lessons, rehearsal, church events, etc. ...

The Banks family spares no expense on extravagant events, and the DeBleu/Banks wedding is no exception. This week-long celebration, arranged by a renowned wedding planner at a luxury spa resort, is set to be the event of the season. But even the perfect wedding can get derailed when a man ends up dead the night before the ceremony and four women confess to his murder...

The idea of hunting and finding treasure sounds like an exciting adventure to most people, but few are willing to do the work to track it down...

FROM BED TURNINGS TO BARN TRAILS A brief history of quilts By Mary Koeberl Rechenberg Have you taken a drive in the country lately and noticed colorful squares on barns and sheds that look like quilt blocks? More and more are popping up over the countryside in Southeast Missouri. ...

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and with its approach, we wanted to know: how can we create beautiful flower arrangements? We talked with a few local experts about their tips and tricks for creating eye-catching bouquets sure to wow the recipient and/or add beauty to your home. We hope these ideas help you create something lovely and meaningful...

At Aging Matters, we get many Medicare questions. Some are very complex, but many of the frequently asked questions are easier to answer. This article will help to answer some of those easier ones. n What is Medicare? Simply put, Medicare is health insurance managed by the government for those 65 and older and some younger who have been declared disabled...

Find some time for quiet this winter BY MIA POHLMAN Winter is a time to slow down, when everything gets quiet and it seems as though even the earth takes time to pause and reflect. We know it’s cold outside, but Southeast Missouri offers a plethora of beautiful places in which to spend time pondering the nature of life. Feed your spirit with reflection, your physical health with a walk and your mental health with a good dose of Vitamin D from the sun. We bet it all helps boost your mood...

I went to lunch with several friends last month, and after the obligatory discussion of how busy we were due to the holidays and how much simpler (i.e., better) things where when we were growing up, the conversation turned to New Year’s resolutions...

I recently heard about a story in “The New York Post” that reported chicken Parmesan is the perfect date food. On a date, you are usually trying to make a good first impression, so it seems counterintuitive to me to order a messy dish like chicken Parm. However, “The Post” article argued “chicken Parm season” falls during the colder months, which also happens to be when New York singles are looking to settle down and snuggle with someone. That makes more sense...

What is a fidget mat? It is a quilted piece of fabric about the size of a table place mat that provides sensory input and stimulation for Alzheimer’s patients to encourage engagement with the world around them. It can be adorned with materials of different textures such as soft Velcro, corduroy or velvet and is covered with items that can be manipulated, like ribbons, medals or even small toys. ...

Fans of historical fiction have something to be excited about: bestselling author and self-proclaimed “Seeker of Lost Stories” Ruta Sepetys’ new novel, “The Fountains of Silence.” This time, Sepetys takes her readers to 1950s Madrid, Spain, to explore life under the dictatorship of Generalissimo Francisco Franco — an era in which the rich grew richer, the poor grew poorer, and citizens dared not speak of the limitations, restrictions and cruelties of fascism...

If you open the wooden door to the right of the pipe organ that fills the back wall of the sanctuary at Zion United Methodist Church in Gordonville and step behind it, you can see the inner workings of the organ, a behind-the-scenes sort of view. On the organ, you’ll find several signatures and dates people have signed onto it throughout the years. One of them reads “Charles Bartels 1891.”...

Millions of years ago, Southeast Missouri was covered in ocean. After that, dinosaurs of the Tyrannosaurus Rex variety roamed the land. Fast forward, and more than 70 varieties of river and woodland fur-bearing mammals called the region home. All of this, in addition to the present-day minerals, animals and people who make up the area...

With a green thumb and more than a handful of advice, Paul Schnare has been guiding Southeast Missouri gardeners to a better understanding of their plants for nearly three decades. From protecting sprouts from the winter cold to rainfall concerns, “Dr. ...

About seven years ago, I found my first Native American artifact purely by accident. It was a knife blade. Since then, I’ve found a number of pieces and will continue to look for them when opportunities arise. Last summer, I found only four completely-intact arrowheads and blades, but they were worth every hour spent looking for them...

2020! A new decade, time for a fresh start and time to be counted in the upcoming census. The census is taken in the United States every 10 years since 1790. The 1790 census was conducted by marshals of the U.S. judicial districts and was taken in the 13 original states and the districts of Kentucky, Vermont, Maine and the Southwest Territory with a reported number of 3.9 million inhabitants. ...

Caroline Thompson goes into her art studio every day. Sometimes she paints for hours on end, creating beautiful abstract pieces she hangs in her home and gallery. Yet there are many times she just sits down, takes in her surroundings, observes the smells of the studio and cleans the brushes. It’s a practice she learned from a respected art teacher long ago: the practice of showing up, of being present, of being still. And it’s this type of teaching that continues to inspire Thompson today...

Many of you have wondered about our mysterious neighbor to the north, the country of Canada. They really don’t get a lot of attention, so I will attempt to correct the situation. Since my mother, Joan, who is a nice person, has visited every province of Canada and I have listened to her stories, I consider myself something of an expert. At least compared to you...

I have seldom thought about getting old, but it happened. Before this year winds down (on the last day of December) I will, God-willing, mark another birthday — the big 9-0. From that cold December morning arrival in a modest house along Angelica Street in north St. ...

Dale Spell Dale Spale has been making candy buckeyes at Christmas for 15 to 20 years. He is known in his family as the keeper of the buckeye recipe. “I tell my grandkids they have to be certified before [they can make them by themselves], they have to help me at least one time making them. ...

“That’s a pie crust promise. Easily made. Easily broken.” — Mary Poppins Because Mary Poppins is “practically perfect in every way,” perhaps making pie crust is easy for her, but for most of us, it is an extra step we don’t always have the time to take...

A co-worker and I were discussing how much we enjoy the end-of-year festivities and how the holiday season can be a time of great joy, spending time with family, eating food that we don’t often allow ourselves to indulge in, buying presents and enjoying the kind mood people find themselves in. ...

The holidays are all about celebrating what’s good, but that doesn’t mean scammers are taking a vacation. Better Business Bureau (BBB) reminds consumers that con artists see busy, overburdened shoppers as likely targets for their schemes. Some common scams this holiday season include:...

No, Donnie LeGrand didn’t push Santa Claus off a roof. That might be one avenue of becoming Santa according to the movie “The Santa Clause,” but it didn’t happen that way for Donnie and his wife, Mrs. Claus, who goes by Gera throughout the rest of the year...

In 1799, patriarch Amos Byrd and his three sons, Stephen, John and Abraham, along with their families, ventured west of the Mississippi River in search of new land to own. They arrived in the area of Post Cape Girardeau, soon to become known as the Missouri Territory. ...

It began with a small mistake. Moth and Raynor Winn simply trusted the wrong person with their friendship and their money. And at first, their business investment was only a minor loss. But when they received a court summons for the repayment of a debt they never incurred, everything snowballed. Their savings ran dry as they paid for lawyers. Their incorrectly-filed evidence became useless in court. The home they restored and the business they created were taken away because of a technicality...

To say my interest in putting out Christmas yard ornaments and outdoor lights is an obsession would be an overstatement. But putting out a manger scene and stringing up four dozen or more strands of lights has become the norm. Perhaps I wouldn’t remember it on my own, but photos from my childhood help me “remember” that our family had a Christmas tree early on. Those were the days when we had silver tinsel and the original colored ceramic lights one can now find in antique stores...

1. Name the sitcom that featured the Kramdens and Nortons. 2. What was the name of the actor who played Ricky Ricardo on “I Love Lucy?” 3. Who was the first host of Saturday Night Live? 4. Mr. Green Jeans was a character in which children’s show? 5. Who played Chester in “Gunsmoke?”...

Robert Owens is a travelling peddler who roams from one town to the next selling his wares. And in many ways, he is simply ordinary, just one of the many salesmen who pass through Evie Dawson’s unnamed town. But Robert’s merchandise is unlike anything this town has seen before: he deals in dreams. For a small fee, he will concoct a vial of any heart’s deepest desires. For just one night, almost any dream can come true, and satisfaction is guaranteed...

He was a member of the Navy. She worked at a law office. He was stationed on a ship headed for Vietnam when he received a telegram: “Birth. Daughter. Mother and daughter fine.” She delivered their first child. Decades later, the couple still keeps that military history alive through curating exhibits at the Perry County Military History Museum in Perryville, Missouri. ...

As I sit down to tell the tale of my experiences in the Transpac 2019 Yacht Race, it is hard to believe it actually happened. A few short days ago, I was still on the water racing to Honolulu, completely immersed in the moment and mentally focused on the task at hand of getting across the finish line ASAP. ...

I’m thankful that my kids are well and healthy, and that everything is going good right now, and there’s no complications that have been going on lately. — Michelle Turner I’m just thankful for my family, that God is for me and he’s with me, and I just thank him that things are as well as they are...

Judy Cureton, cyclist and resident of Cape Girardeau, has cycled on all six continents that are not covered in ice. It’s an impressive feat, incorporating a passion Cureton doesn’t keep to herself: she uses her love of cycling as an excuse to open her home to cycling tourists riding through the area who need a place to stay for the night and for whom a warm shower might be just what they need to unwind after a long day of cycling...