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Still Time For Ice Cream

The signs are all there. The sights and sounds are undeniable. Sitting on the porch at the crest of the evening, it became apparent that summertime, as we know it, is waning. My rose bushes are looking a little sickly from too much heat and several nights of downpours. However, the hummingbirds are swooping in and out of the roses, making swift work of the feeders I’ve hidden there. I was hoping to fool the bees but they continue to share the sweet water with the birds. The tomato and pepper plants are still producing but not as they once did. The cucumber plants have given up the ...

Don’t Look Down

My first recollection of ever crossing the Wheeling Suspension Bridge was in the back of my parents’ old DeSoto. The car was white and green and had one of those problem-plagued push-button gearshifts. While there may have been weight and height restrictions on the bridge at that time, I only remember the signs instructing cars to maintain 50 feet between one another. I believe we were headed to one of the circus performances that were held at the Island Stadium in the blazing heat of a July afternoon. However, prior to making our way to the stadium, our parents made sure to take ...

Green Is The Grass In Warwood

The sky has been gray an awful lot of the time in recent weeks. Rain has inserted itself into many of our afternoon and evening plans. Some of the national news reports have been just as dark with a few political thunderstorms thrown in for good measure. So one day this week I made an effort to find something positive, something to smile about during my mundane trip to the grocery store. And just like that, it happened. I was shopping at the Kroger store in Warwood on one of those hot, muggy, threatening-to-storm days. Grocery shopping isn’t on the top of my list of favorite things ...

Bees, Hot Weather What’s Next?

I’m beginning to feel defeated. My poor hummingbird friends have been forced from their feeders by a bunch of bully bees. In large numbers, there are varieties of these nectar predators that have invaded the hummingbird food sources. I understand bees are very important to the natural ...

A ‘Well-Heeled’ Downtown

It’s no secret that one of the biggest complaints about driving in downtown Wheeling is the deplorable condition of the streets. Main and Market streets have resembled a war zone for more years than I care to count. Good news came recently when bids went out for the downtown Streetscape ...

Kewpie Dolls: Collectors Still Love These Little Imps

Kewpie dolls are an adorable little addition to any antique collector’s menagerie. These little imps also have an interesting background. The charming dolls were born in the early part of the 20th century after illustrator Rose O’Neill decided to satisfy her public’s request for a doll that complimented her stories and illustrations. O’Neill was born in Pennsylvania in 1874, but by the age of 14, showed a talent for drawing after she won a contest sponsored by the Omaha World Herald. She went to New York City and studied with the Sisters of St. Regis, developing a portfolio ...