- Simon Varner. Do you remember going to grandma’s house for a family dinner? The way it smelled, the way the adults chatted while you and the other kids laughed in front of a TV playing colorful cartoons. Most importantly, do you remember the food? I remember, and Mandy Yannucci, co-owner of Maddalena’s in Kent, remembers, too.
- Master Gardener Volunteers. Our family is known for keeping our home fairly cool during the winter months. We say that it’s healthier, but really, it’s to lower our heating bills.
- Kathy Baker. An amaryllis plant stands tall on my kitchen counter. I wonder if it has any idea how beautiful it is. At first, it was simply a nondescript, brown knob. Then, seemingly overnight, it became a tall, green stalk. Little by little, a perfect flower appeared. Soon, I thought, it will shrivel and die, as plants do. But that’s not what happened.
- Julie Watson. Cardinals, also known as red birds, are very common throughout Portage County and the Eastern United States. Their estimated population across North America is 100 -130 million strong.
- Mary Louise Ruehr. Their names are familiar, for completely different reasons, and their life stories, luckily for us, make for good reading.
- Master Gardener Volunteers. What is winter sowing, you ask? Winter sowing is the way many plants perpetuate themselves. They grow from seeds, make flowers, set new seeds, then, in the fall, disperse their new seeds by gravity, wind, water, birds, or small mammals to sprout again, somewhere, next spring.
- Sally Kelly. It is a new year, and for some of us (maybe for all of us) we have high hopes for a better life this year: Cheaper prices, fewer deaths for friends and family, and healthier, safer lives for ourselves.
- Simon Varner. I love the relationship between a locally owned restaurant and its town. The purpose they serve is deeper than just feeding their customers, but meeting them where they are, remembering their name, having the drink poured before they walk through the doors.
- Shirley Mars. In the summer of 2014, Bill and I met a darling young couple at the Brimfield Farmers Market selling bread and pizza.
- Laura Nethken. Are you ready for Christmas? That's been the hot question this whole month. And my answer has been "yes." We had a few gifts yet to get but for the most part, we are ready. Santa has been very good to us this year.
- Master Gardener Volunteers. Bringing home a fresh-cut Christmas tree is a cherished tradition for many people during the holiday season, with 25-30 million live trees sold in the U.S. every year according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
- Kathy Baker. SHOPPING: What should we get for Uncle Impossible? Where can we find that widget Dad wants? We’re blowing the budget, Marion! But, John, it adds up; we have so many to buy for! Where did I hide Mildred’s gift?
- Mary Louise Ruehr. To get into the holiday spirit, I found a few stories set during the Christmas season.* Mostly, I was looking for heartwarming and cheerful, and mostly, I found it. Some of these are short and sweet, so I’ve included the number of pages in each.
- Julie Watson. I bet you finished that line. During a Portage County winter, most of our trees and herbaceous plant life slumber until the arrival of spring.
- Master Gardener Volunteers. One of the best parts of the holiday season is finding a gift that brings lasting joy to the recipient. If you have a gardener in your life, there are a number of great options to consider, from tools to plants to garden décor. But how do you find the right gift for that special person? Here are a few tips that might help narrow down the choices.
- Pauline Persons. The Suffield United Church of Christ held their Annual American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in August. The relay ran from 6 p.m. to midnight.
- Sally Kelly. The government shutdown is over and SNAP benefits are “alive” again, but I know that for some of us, that does not resolve our need for additional food. In Portage County, individuals can call 211 (Portage County information and referral services) and register for one of our county’s food pantries.
Today I’m excited to introduce our first milestone with the launch of our improved website along with Portage County’s first locally owned online discussion board, the Portager Forum. You now have a friendly and free place to comment on the news, share your events, give feedback to our team and debate local topics.