Her name is Hope. She came into the world pink-cheeked and a perfect 6 pounds 1 ounce. My nephew Noah and his wife Kayla welcomed their daughter to their family of two boys and the family dog. Hope arrived in the early part of September, a month that has been a roller-coaster of emotions for ...

I caved. I always said I wouldn’t get out my fall/Halloween decorations until at least mid-September. However, on Labor Day Monday, I just happened to be in the basement looking for something when I came upon an autumn-inspired wreath I had tucked away last spring. Then I delved a little ...

It’s funny how something as simple as a piece of trash can give me pause. I was getting out of my car at Walmart in Moundsville recently when I spotted it. It wasn’t hard to miss as it was literally placed at my feet. There it was — an empty package of Marlboro Lights cigarettes. I ...

Let’s take a ride, one of my siblings suggested last week. Not just a short ride, but a change of scenery. It isn’t that we don’t love our hometown, but sometimes you have to get out of town to appreciate coming back home. That was pretty much the consensus of two of my siblings. So we ...

I was standing at the kitchen window the other afternoon, when I saw it. First it was just one. No big deal, I thought. Then two more floated softly to the earth. There was no real breeze to speak of so my concern continued to grow. It is only Aug. 12, I tell myself. This can’t be ...

Water. In all my years of living, the topic of water has never been more prevalent than in the past year or so. Just one year ago, the Ohio Valley was in the midst of a scorching drought. In fact, it was downright frightening as the threat of wildfires kept many vigilant. Each day through ...