Santa at the Depot | Scene Around Town

Peeling off the layers and becoming who you truly are is hard work — it never comes easy. I know a lot of people that put on different faces depending on who is around them. Of course there is a business face when you are in a professional environment, a playful face when you are at home or out in nature, but that is not what I am referring to. I am talking about becoming your true authentic self. The you that has been pushed down due to life’s trauma, people’s negative opinion of you, hurts and pain — the things you think you can hide and never face, and

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across water to create many ripples.” MOTHER TERESA As we enter yet another month of the COVID-19 epidemic, I look around in wonder at the generosity I see in our community. Not only on the front lines in the ER, hospitals, police force, etc. but the dedicated service workers who continue to show up to keep a job, knowing they may be risking their own health as well as that of their families. What intrigues me the most is the generosity of those who daily continue to carry on the work of their churches and organizations manning the

I walked into the old farmhouse that housed four generations of the Jenkins family. Suddenly memories of Christmas Eve flooded my mind. I remembered so many details of that special night that made me laugh and shed a tear, but mostly, my heart swelled with gratitude. Uncle Bill was standing in the doorway with his fancy video camera with enough lights to illuminate a football stadium. So what I did I get for Christmas that year? Retina damage… I remembered my grandfather — we called Gumpa. He sat in his old burgundy chair with the wooden arms. It was his corner, almost a sacred place. He had a bird’s eye

Yule, also known as Yuletide, Yulefest, and Winter Solstice, has many traditions that are present in current day religions. If you like history as much as I do, come on an exploration journey with me. First, what is Yule or the Winter Solstice? Solstice is derived from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still). During this time of declination, the sun appears to be standing still. This year, that the solstice occurs on December 21. After this day, the days get longer until we reach the Summer Solstice. In ancient times, Yule was celebrated by the Germanic tribes of Northern Europe in anticipation of the return of