Hi everyone, back again. Last week we finished an 1800s story that lasted since the first of January. I want to thank everyone for joining Roger’s Ramblings each week as we galloped back together into the past and relived the life of a couple before, during, and after the civil war. more

I took a break recently and caught up on some games I had picked up. One of those games got me excited about fighting. more

For better or worse, I’m back. more

I dreamt about basements twice last night, back to back. They were positive, protective spaces. My dreams are directly affected by whatever I’m ingesting intellectually, and I happen to be right smack in the middle of a book all about archetypes, the symbolism that constitutes our subconscious and souls’ language. So what were these basements trying to tell me? more

Another week of blistering, 100-plus heat and no rain to slake the thirst of our Ozarks’ parched earth — it’s miserable weather for most of us, but worse for that tiny but critical percentage who feed us. more

Hi everyone! I can hardly wait to continue with our story from last week. Our adventure has been going on since January, so we have covered a lot of ground together. Our couple is Johnny and Mary Lou, who grew up during the pre-civil war years and were eventually married when the war began. Each week we have been reliving their lives of heartache and problems. Our Johnny more

Ever since humans began tending to small patches of cultivated ground near their homes, the terms “rain” and “garden” have gone together. more

July 13, 2022 more

A little rain fell one Saturday night in the dog days of 2012. I don’t recall how much — less than a half-inch, I’m sure. Scant as it was, though, it gave our yard and over-grazed pastures a pale green blush. I overheard someone say it wasn’t enough to do any good, but it certainly was. No such thing as unwelcome rain in a drought. more

Last week my opinion piece was thanking those who serve or have served in the military, medical field, or law enforcement. This week I want to thank another group of individuals that answer the other call to help; the group I'm talking about is customer service. more

Hi everyone, welcome back again for a new week of adventures. This week we continue on with our civil war love story. Our young couple grew up together and were married when the war started. Our Johnny joins the union army and gets shot in Tennessee and left for dead and our Mary Lou is forced to stay at her parents home during the war years in which her father is a strong confederate supporter. (fast forward) Years have passed and still no Johnny coming home. By now she has become the general manager of the general mercantile store owned by Mr. Kissee and also the owner of most of Sand Springs. Mr. Kissee has received through his connections that the railroad is being built through Webster County and to finish at Springfield, Mo. We left last week with a celebration and hoedown being hosted for the railroad executive, that is scheduled to speak at six o'clock in the evening and then afterwards the music begins with a hoedown barn dance. The day goes well with the contest, music, games, and food. Mary Lou is constantly checking everyone and all is well until she talks to Mr. Kissee about the arrival of the St Louis-San Francisco executive. Mary Lou, "Mr. Kissee- it's 5:30, and still no arrival are you sure he is coming?" Mr. Kissee, "Don't you worry. I have this under control. You take care of everything else." Mary Lou, "O K Mr. Kissee, I am just worried. Look! Everyone is coming into the barn and sitting down, waiting for our railroad speaker." more

Hi everyone! So glad to have all of you back again this fourth of July week. We are truly blessed today to be living in a nation where our forefathers were willing to lose their wealth and lives to establish a new nation under God Almighty. Since January we have been reliving the lives of Johnny and Mary Lou who grew up near Sand Springs in northwestern Webster county. For many of us they have become our newspaper family. Our couple grew up during the 1850’s and eventually were married when our American civil war began. Our Johnny joined the Union army and Mary Lou stayed home living a life of mental anguish separated from her husband. Years pass and our Mary Lou has become the clerk and manager of the town's only Mercantile store with Mr Kissee as her boss and owner of most of the town. more