All in Columns
During the past few days, I heard two versions of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” One is the traditional carol that dates from the late 18th century. The other is a more modern adaptation that replaces the various gifts of the original version with the gifts that come through the Lord Jesus.
I woke up and looked at the calendar to find that we are just a few days from the holidays.
‘Tis the season for chocolate, cream, juices and warm spices. Savor the festive moments with these holiday-inspired punches and warm drinks. The first two are favorites of family and friends, I know you will enjoy! Feel free to cut the sugar in the recipes or use a substitute.
This story begins more than half a century ago. I entered Ohio State University in Fall 1968 and attended 12 straight quarters to finish my B.A. in English after the summer quarter of 1971. In August of that year, I moved to Kinston.
The Holidays are a terrific time to say a big thanks and, of course, Merry Christmas to friends, family, teachers, and co-workers. What better way than to give the gift of food! Here are several ideas—some you may have seen before, but they are still great!
At the November meeting of the Raleigh Civil War Roundtable, the organization recognized and honored the efforts of the Save Wyse Fork Battlefield Commission with the annual T. Harry Gatton Award.
Have you ever been asked to do something that you felt you were not qualified to do or something way outside your comfort zone? Maybe you were asked to give a speech to a large group of people, or presented with a job or task you felt you were not qualified to do.
Did your turkey outlast your Thanksgiving lunch? Are you on dressing and mashed potato overload? No problem, try a new gourmet turkey sandwich, a healthy turkey salad or stir your turkey with some vegetables! There are so many ways to use leftovers; never let them go to waste. You certainly have free rein over the recipe ingredients to change or make additions according to your leftovers!
Mental illness has a way of warping even the mundane into something darkly comedic.
I have spent my entire life planning to survive. That’s it, to survive. At first, I survived on instinct, then anger, and finally out of spite. When stress is a comfort zone and anxiety is a security blanket, normalcy becomes subjective. Apparently, I can now turn happiness into abject terror.
When I was growing up, certain wealthy families were always in the news. People who were on the cutting edge of the next new thing were able to amass wealth. It was a common thing to say a person was living like the Rockefellers or Vanderbilts when they bought a lot of things.
Challenges and risks awaited early eighteenth century settlers who arrived in the unsettled Bucklesberry Pocosin of then old Craven County. According to historian and author Dr. Lindley S. Butler, PhD, "The backcountry was the last area of the State to be settled and, consequently, the most volatile region of North Carolina society for many years."
What I most love about this season of the year, second only to the Christmas story itself, is the music. We are blessed in our area to have an abundance of musical talent, and many of those talented people will use their gifts to share the sounds and songs of Christmas.
What is brown butter, where did it come from all of a sudden, and where do I find it? To some brown butter is not new, years ago I had brown butter oysters on the half shell at Chef and the Farmer and they were so delicious, I set out to try to replicate, which of course, I could not, but I did learn all about brown butter in the process.
As 2024 winds down, I find myself reflecting on the people who make our Magic Mile Media and Neuse News family so special. This year has been filled with challenges, triumphs, and countless moments of growth, both as individuals and as a team. Today, I want to share some of our collective gratitude—a peek into the hearts of the people I am lucky to work alongside every day.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I am reminded of how blessed we are to have a family. This week I heard from various people who are staying in during the holiday, some due to traffic, others due to weather. But with some, their relatives live far away, and they are flying solo not by choice.
