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Pitch The Tent, Fire Up The Grill

A friend/colleague told me about how, when she was a child, her parents would take her camping every summer. I never perceived this friend of being much of a nature girl but I guess she was to some degree. She said it was just what her little family did together. When she told me about her camping experiences, I felt a twinge of envy. You see she is an only child and had the full attention of her mom and dad, especially on those vacation camp outings. I, on the other hand, have seven brothers and four sisters. One-on-one time with either parent was rare. It’s just the way of big ...

Driving Me Mad

I always believed there were just four seasons: winter, spring, summer and fall. Apparently there is a fifth season known as the “Driving Season.” It reportedly begins over the Memorial Day weekend in May and pretty much winds up after Labor Day in September. This season refers to the time when more and more people get behind the wheel and head out to places near and far. Lured by warm temps, blue skies and sometimes, dry roads, we head out like early nomads seeking recreational and vacation pursuits. I used to enjoy being a member of the driving public. I’ve had my driver’s ...

Forecasting Weather Is Big News

In this age of modern miracles, reporting the news across the world is an amazing thing. With the touch of a button, we can be in touch with what’s happening anywhere, anytime. The invention of the Internet and websites — something so foreign to me in my early years in the newsroom — became a vital part of my career and daily life. While a reporter’s notebook and a selection of fine tip ballpoint pens were once my trusty tools, they too, have become nearly extinct. (Personally I still like to write out my notes on a lined notebook.) Recording news events on digital cameras and ...

Looking Back, Moving Forward

Sunday, May 26, 2024, would have marked Harry C. Hamm’s 101st birthday. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that he — my father — has been away from this earth since 1991. Over all these years without him, I and others in our family have often wondered what he would think of the current state of affairs of his beloved country, and more closely, his hometown. We have had lively, sometimes loud discussions, as to what his opinions may have been. It was not unusual for my dad to have an office full of politicians and businessmen seeking sage advice from him over his storied ...

It’s Up To All Of Us

It’s over, at least for some. For others, it’s another six months of rubber chicken dinners, hand-shaking, mud-slinging and name-calling. Tuesday’s primary election in West Virginia was anything but calm, cool and collected. Some races were predictable while others gave us a few surprises. By now, you have read or heard all the vote results and know who won or lost. I applaud everyone who took the time to vote. If you didn’t, well you can redeem yourself in November. If you don’t cast a ballot, you have no right to complain about the results. I just want to make it loud ...

A Blooming Message From Mom in Heaven

My patience has paid off. It took seven years, but Mom has sent me a message from heaven. When Mom passed away in 2017, I inherited two of her many live plants. They are Christmas cactus plants that held a prominent window seat location in the dining room of my childhood home. It’s the same room where she taught us to play cards. One of my last memories of her was seeing her sitting at the dining room table, playing Solitaire, surrounded by a menagerie of plants. This room and just about every other window seat in Mom’s house held assorted living plants. Some were rather exotic ...