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

With it being the Fourth of July, I wanted to wish everyone a wonderful and safe holiday. more

Of the few truly important things in life, kids and livestock have to rank near the top. more

Howdy to all my friends and neighbors and beyond. O.K.- Let's briefly review and jump into this week's new adventures. Our young couple grew up together and eventually got married. On their wedding day, it was officially announced our country's civil war had officially started. Our Johnny and Mary Lou had a few happy months together before our young man joined the Union Army. Mary Lou had to live with her parents; in which her dad was a hard-core rebel supporter. more

I grew up in a house with cold running water in the kitchen sometimes and an outdoor toilet always. Anywhere I’ve lived since has been a mansion in comparison. So, it was kind of hard for me to have much empathy for a couple featured in the Sunday paper who lamented they had spent years of looking before finally finding the lake home of their dreams. more

With summer in full swing, many will start planning their BBQs, vacations, and Fourth of July events. Another popular pastime is watching movies. Movies, after all, are a great way to spend time with family and friends, escape the summer heat, or unplug from the world. Consider my picks of ten summer movies if you want to watch something but don't know what to go for. This list will have a mix of classic summer movies and some released during the season. more

Our truck and car both have cruise control. Our grandkids don’t, and oh, how they run. Sometimes I wish I could push “set” and hold them down to 55. But, I really wouldn’t want to. I don’t really get upset, just jealous. They race everywhere — from the car to the front door, from the front door to the play room, from the kitchen to the dining room, in circles through the house and hitting every room. more

Hi again to all my rambling reading friends and neighbors. This week we are getting close to the end of our civil war love story that has been ongoing since January first. Quick review: our story is about two young people that grew up in our county during the turbulent times of pre civil war years. Our couple of Johnny and Mary Lou eventually got married and the civil war began. more

Sunday was about the first man I ever loved and the best man I will ever know, my daddy. He was out of town this weekend, and it’s the first Father’s Day I have had to spend without him. more