Category: 2021
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September
Midway through summer, wind and rain visited my home during the night. Had I been nervous about a storm, I would have been nervous for my tomato plants. I have two, 2’ x 8’ elevated garden beds tucked around the corner of the back of my house. They are my secret garden. Secret, except my […]
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Honey From A Rock
It was UTTERLY RIDICULOUS and made absolutely no sense whatsoever, and yet there God was, speaking it into our hearts. “Have another baby,” He said. “Start again,” He said. “Go back to the beginning. I want this for […]
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Household Chemical Collection Center
Last year was a time of deep, deep, deep cleaning at the Johnson house. Imagine finding aged chemicals older than you. Camping fuel? Fertilizer? We had it all. But what do you do with it all, right? For those residents of Greene, Christian, Dallas, Polk and Webster counties, you make an appointment at the Household […]
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Jaques
AND ALL THE DOGS MERELY PLAYERS by Amy Tyndall The play As You Like It by William Shakespeare features a rather melancholy character named Jaques, who wanders around the forest ruminating on ideas. He famously says: All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their […]
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Kevin Zwingle Is Worth Fighting For
In mid-July 2020, right around his birthday, my husband, Kevin, began complaining of headaches. Headaches were unusual, but it was a hot summer, and we initially chalked it up to dehydration and overworking. Weeks went on, as did the heat, and as did the headaches. Kevin generally was able to lie down and gain relief. […]
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Brats, Peppers, Onions
I was trying to think of something interesting to make this coming Labor Day. I decided on bratwurst sandwiches based on the classic Italian sausage, peppers, and onion sandwich. For a twist on the side dish, I chose fried pickles with ranch dipping sauce. My recipes for fried pickles and homemade ranch dipping sauce are […]
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3 Unexpected Lessons Learned
No matter where you go, no matter what you do, you’ll always be my babies. I’ve spoken those words to every student I’ve had over the last 13 years. The advent of social media has allowed my relationship with my students to continue beyond our time together in the classroom. For that, I am truly […]
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Lightning Bugs = Fireflies
According to Dr. Katie Kilmer, assistant professor of biology and health at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, lightning bugs/fireflies are specialized predators and feed on other insect larvae, snails and slugs. “They are important to help maintain a balanced ecosystem,” she says. Medically speaking, “lightning bugs create their light using two chemicals, luciferin and […]
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Dr. Stephen Spates
Every fall season, when a new school year begins, I think about my first year of graduate school. I was excited to begin a new journey as a graduate student in communication studies. I also felt honored to be offered a full ride and stipend as a graduate teaching fellow. I expected this to be […]
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Heather Zoromski
I recently saw a quote that said, “Ten years from now, make sure you can say that you chose your life, you didn’t settle for it.” I don’t know who said it, and since I saw it on social media, it may have been created by a bot somewhere to steal my person information. Who […]
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Pink Bumble Bee Cherry Tomatoes
Hear me. I cannot see myself becoming an expert gardener. I laughed off the completely ridiculous notion of Master Gardener. However, I will try, try, try again. I also vow to expand my garden interests, experiment with different varieties and learn, learn, learn. This year, one of the newcomers is the pink bumble bee tomato […]
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Claudia O’Steen of CO Creations
“Creativity does not run in my family by any means, none of my parents or siblings have had the desire or propensity for art,” says Claudia O’Steen, illustrator and founder of CO Creations. “For some reason, I fell in love with it very young, and it just stuck.” interview JULIE JOHNSONpictures courtesy of CLAUDIA O’STEEN […]
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Molly And Chet
PAWTNERS IN CRIME by Tara Hathcock Molly and Chet loved family walks. Even in old age, as Chet lost eyesight and Molly lost patience, they were always up for a walk. Perish the thought of strapping on your sneakers and slamming out the door without heading for the woods. Lucky is the family whose dog […]
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Fried Pickles + Ranch Dipping Sauce
The pickles are fried in tempura batter because it’s so light and crispy, and frankly I just enjoy it. If you do not keep the batter cold, the pickles will become saturated with oil while frying and won’t be crispy. In this recipe, this is done by refrigerating the club soda and placing the batter […]
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Fuel Your Curiosity
Curiosity is a very curious thing. It can be fun or annoying, innovative or creative, a natural instinct or a practiced skill. No matter how you look at it, curiosity and the desire […]
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Strawberry Blonde Calendula
I have not been successful in identifying this insect. The flower, on the other hand, is a strawberry blonde calendula. Seeds were purchased from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Flowers are mixed in with both the flower garden and vegetable garden. Bees like them, but so do green worms. The plants do not seem to do […]
Homegrown Journal 