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Take it...
One Day at a Time


A Christmas Wonderland
November 2025-- Before I tell you what or where this is, here is some trivia about this place. Read on and see if you know it. · Over two million guests visit annually from throughout the world. · The weekend after Thanksgiving welcomes as many as 50,000 guests. · The landscaped grounds cover 27 acres—with an additional 7.35 acres for its building. · The late-great John Wayne ordered a suit from this place by phone on Dec. 15, 1976. · The park


Gourdness gracious!
October 2025 --It’s that time of the year again. Yup, people are enjoying pumpkin spice lattes and roasted pumpkin seeds, putting carved pumpkins on porches, and adding the mashed fibrous pulp to their favorite fall recipes. It’s also time for the crowds to gather at pumpkin festivals, which are held all over the world. If by chance you happen to be in Germany, check out the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival--the largest of its kind in the world. Did you know a quaint town in Illi


Laughter really is the best medicine
September 2025 --We’ve all heard the phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine,” right? Well, if that’s true (and I believe it is), then...


Drivers, wedges and putters, oh my!
August 2025 --I may be in the minority, but I don’t golf. Don't have anything against the sport, but when you try and then try again and...


Service to country, family and our little community in western North Carolina
JD is a retired Navy pilot, former Blue Angel and a cherished neighbor with a kind heart and beautiful smile.


A Christmas tradition worth its weight in gold--and so much more
Our first group shopping weekend December 1999 Dec. 17, 2024 Christmas traditions are just one of the many ways to help keep the...


Resiliency during the darkest hour
Oct. 6, 2024 --There are quite a few words I’ve used to describe the people in North Carolina. If you know me, you know I have a special...


Canine or feline?
Sept. 24, 2024--Most pet owners in the U.S. prefer dogs over cats, according to a national survey. But my personal survey closes the margin.
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