We Were Upcycling, Thrifting & Repurposing Before it Became Cool
April 3, 2024
Upcycling, thrifting and repurposing vintage clothes, furniture, and décor is all the rage these days. You can’t open a magazine or peruse social media without stumbling upon someone upcycling something! It is common to see article titles such as, Thrift Your Way to a Cozy Home, or Upcycled Thrift Store Décor or some similar variation. I am not complaining, mind you; I think it is wonderful to keep as much as possible out of our landfills. Still, I must stifle a chuckle when I see this trend portrayed as a new, novel idea. Heaven knows, I have been practicing it my entire life. My mother never worked outside of the home, and my father always made enough for us to live comfortably, but there was never a surplus. My mother became very good at making something out of nothing, stretching a dollar to unbelievable lengths. She was a master thrifter. I can recall Christmas mornings when my brother and I unwrapped our presents and found gently used toys that she had scored at rummage sales (the forerunner to today’s yard sales). It wasn’t cool or trendy to purchase used things back then; it was more of a necessity. Learn More
Put a Little Love in Your Heart
February 15, 2024
Since Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us, I thought it would be fun to delve into the origins of the holiday. Where did it come from? Why do we celebrate it? I fully expected to uncover stories featuring chubby, naked little cherubs flying about, launching arrows and sprinkling love dust on unsuspecting humans and Greek gods or something. I was in for a rude awakening when I discovered its actual roots. According to the much-respected History Channel, Valentine's Day began as a pagan, Roman fertility festival. Who knew? On this day, priests would sacrifice a goat for fertility and proceed to take strips of its hide, dip them in blood, and gently slap women with them. Yes, you read that correctly—they slapped women with them, gently, mind you, but slap they did. Supposedly, it was to ensure their fertility for the coming year. Wait, it gets better. Then, after being blood-slapped, the young women would place their names in a very large urn. All the bachelors would then randomly choose a name, and they would be paired with that person for the year. It's like the precursor to dating apps, I guess, but much more tenuous and with a lot less control. Learn More
Sometimes Enough is Enough!
February 15, 2024
I do not make a habit of engaging with negative people on social media, even though I often want to, especially when they are saying derogatory things about our community. It is not because I believe they are right, nor is it because I am afraid of the negative comments I might receive if I voice my opinion. It is because a very insightful mentor once told me, “It is not wise to engage with a bully, they will beat you with experience!” Sage words that I attempt to live by. Isn’t that what they really are, bullies? According to Merriam-Webster, a bully is one who is habitually cruel, insulting, or threatening to others who are weaker, smaller, or in some way vulnerable. I believe this definition perfectly describes those who choose to insult and degrade our community all while cowardly hiding behind their electronic devices. Within the safety of their homes, they discredit residents, business owners, organizations, and community leaders with whom they disagree. Often these people being attacked are working hard to make a difference. There are times, however, when enough is enough, and I feel the need to defend and interject. To stand up for our beautiful area and for those working tirelessly to make it prosper. Such has been the case in recent days. Learn More
I've been everywhere, man!
February 15, 2024
Two very iconic country songs merged to become the theme of my Christmas holiday this year. The first from Willie Nelson, “On the Road Again”, and the second, to quote the infamous Johnny Cash, I've been everywhere, man, I've been everywhere, man, crossed the deserts bare, man, “I've breathed the mountain air, man, of travel I've had my share, man, I've been everywhere.” O.K., so perhaps I didn’t cross any deserts, but over this Christmas holiday season, I definitely put some miles on my car and no proverbial moss grew under these feet! My travels began when I left Lewistown for Mechanicsburg to spend Christmas Eve with two of my four children, Curtis and Matthew, and their families. It was a time of beautiful chaos as we attended two Christmas Eve services at their two separate churches then met back at Matthew’s house for lots of food, gifts, and holiday fun. Then it was back to Lewistown because who knows, perhaps Santa wouldn’t be able to find me if I wasn’t at home when he made his rounds. After a nice Christmas morning hike in the woods, it was back down to Mechanicsburg to watch the grandchildren play with all their newly obtained toys. We concluded our day by enjoying a family Christmas dinner together. It was then back in the car, and back to Lewistown. Learn More
