All in Columns
My son is going to get his associates degree from LCC this year. I’m so proud of his accomplishments and how hard he’s worked at finishing the course work. It wasn’t easy, for either of us. As he’s my youngest, his impending graduation has left me feeling out of sorts. Incomplete.
As we approach graduation, it's truly remarkable to reflect on the journey we've shared.
In the next week or so, you will likely receive a letter asking you to join or renew your membership in the Friends of the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library. Although libraries receive support in the form of state-tax revenue, the Friends provide much support for the programming our library features.
Arguably the oldest named farm community in Lenoir County, NC, Bucklesberry is nestled along the north side of the Neuse River, a few miles south of the town of La Grange. Its geographic location has remained the same over time, but its boundaries have modified and county affiliation has varied as North Carolina's counties were formed and renamed during the last half of the eighteenth century.
School is almost out for summer and most of you at some point will be heading for the Crystal Coast. There’s no secret that hanging out at the beach just naturally makes you extra ready to snack! Be prepared with some healthier options and you will breeze through the summer and keep up your healthy habits!!
This is my last column for Mental Health Awareness Month. I want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for joining me on this journey of self-awareness. It took me a long time to understand that the world I read about growing up and the reality I lived in are not the same.
I have come across people who absolutely love them, and those that shudder at the thought. The hydrangea is a gorgeous, cloud-like bloom, that in my opinion is quintessentially the definition of a southern home landscape. Probably most known for their changing colors to match soil pH, they are a great cut flower, and can do well in a variety of conditions. They are a great addition to any home if you follow a few basic guidelines.
Welcome to the fourth part of our series, "Path to Purpose." After diving into self-confidence last month, we now turn to a crucial aspect of personal development and well-being: building resilience.
Today is Memorial Day, a day set aside to remember and reflect. In its beginning, this day bore the title “Decoration Day” because of the post-Civil War practice of decorating the graves of the fallen from that war.
Memorial Day is an American Holiday always observed on the last Monday of May, the day serves to honor the men and women who dies while serving the United States military.
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, I embarked on a series of personal columns detailing my journey toward improved mental well-being. Having spent a lifetime in survival mode, envisioning the future's potential remains a challenge for me.
The other day I was skimming some of my old columns when I came across one that made me feel genuinely ancient. I wrote this particular column in 1991 – right around the time my oldest daughter Sara was preparing to leave the state – and me – to start a new life with her husband.
Several years ago, I purchased fresh mint from the Master Gardeners at the very famous Annual Plant Sale, and to my surprise and delight the mint has returned each year looking better than the year before!! The very popular fresh herb is currently in season and is no longer used just for Derby parties and making julips!!
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, I embark on a series of personal columns detailing my journey toward improved mental well-being.
I’ve seen them all tilled up in the side yard, perfectly organized in rows in raised beds, thrown into open space in the flower bed, or even in a collection of mismatched pots on the back deck!
Saturday, May 4th, was a special day for my family. At 11 a.m., granddaughter Haley received her Bachelor’s degree in Archeology from East Carolina. Haley graduated “Summa Cum Laude” – “with highest honors.” Her granddad – me – received my undergraduate degree “Thank you, Lawdee.”
Have you ever had someone tell you, “You can’t do that, or you’re not going to make it”? I still remember my first-grade teacher saying to me, “You can’t do that.” The words we speak have lasting effects. They can build a person up or they can quickly tear them down.
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, I embark on a series of personal columns detailing my journey toward improved mental well-being.
In 2007, the North Carolina Department of Transportation began a program called the “Bicycle Helmet Initiative.” The primary goal of the Bicycle Helmet Initiative is to reduce child and youth bicycle fatalities and serious injuries, including head trauma.
As the weather warms up, my thoughts drift to swimming in the summer. I grew up in Kinston, North Carolina but spent weekends and summers in Swansboro on the White Oak River in an old Air Stream trailer. Water safety was not optional.
