As in seasons past, our home was a family gathering place for kids and kin this holiday season. Putting on the mantle of Grandpa, I again cooked the turkey, dressing, and sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner, while our daughters provided desserts, salads, and other fare. more

I love Christmas. Like a little child, I look forward to it and begin planning right after Halloween. By then I have usually bought a gift or two, or at least know what I am getting people. Then, of course, my gift list gets longer and longer as the day approaches because, especially for my mom, I just keep finding things they “just have to have!” more

Welcome to the first day of 2025. I hope this year will truly be a New Year, in many ways more

My grandmother’s death changed everything. Besides my mother, she was the most influential person in my life; her death left a hole that will never be completely filled. more

If you’re one of the many shoppers returning or exchanging a gift this year, make sure you check the return policy before you get started! more

Christmas movies are nostalgic; they bring memories from childhood and of a time that brought forth the magic of the season. When we are kids, we gladly wear our rose-colored glasses and just see the bright lights of the holiday. more

I often sit at the bar attached to my kitchen island, drink my morning coffee, and let nature entertain me. more

“Gladiator II” has some awfully big sandals to fill, both commercially and creatively. Its predecessor, 2000’s “Gladiator,” made $187 million at the domestic box office. The new film has thus farmade an estimated $132 million after three weekends of release. With a lot of money up for grabs in the upcoming holiday season, another $55 million isn’t out of the question. Maybe I could even stretch to see it making the $68 million it needs to hit the $200 million mark. Yes, inflation means that it’s less impressive to make these numbers now than it did nearly a quarter-century ago, but these are attainable goals. What I do not see as attainable is the sequel ever becoming as well-regarded as the original. That film won the Academy Award for Best Picture, so already the new one has to live up to an impossibly more

When life is far from fa-la-la-la-la more

For some area birds, winter is a time to come together. more

I get in trouble sometimes for complaining about changes in the Ozarks. more

As the holidays approach, it is common to look back at memories from our past - the people who are gone, the moments we shared, and the times that can’t be recaptured. Recently, my thoughts drifted to autumn days in Calhan, Colorado where my grandparents owned a seven-acre homestead with a small collection of animals. One critter in particular was a grey goose with a major attitude. His name was Gus, and for much of my childhood, he terrified me. more

For years, I said the thing all busy parents say when we’re wading through the drama of raising humans – the feeding and cleaning, the last-minute science projects, and the after-school activities that swallow up evenings and whole weekends. On days when I felt outnumbered by kids, errands and messes, I’d mentally reassure myself with this one hopeful phrase: “When the kids are in college, I’ll have time to take care of myself.” more

Hi, I'm Luna Bear! I'm a 8 year old Great Pyrenese mix. I'm an older lady and have been in the shelter system for almost 3 years...I'm a lady of leisure and independence. I appreciate my own space, and while I may not be the life of the dog park, I offer a mellow companionship that's hard to find. I prefer a quiet home where I can relax and be myself. I'm not one for other dogs or cats, but I promise to fill your life with a unique kind of love. more

Country music star Toby Keith passed away from stomach cancer this past February. I more

Some just-nippy mornings it wafts on the air as lightly as the fragrance of apple blossoms in spring. more

Antiques, relics, artifacts - whatever you choose to call them, I love to have them. There is something transcending about touching an item once held by someone decades or centuries ago. It connects us with the past like no textbook or documentary ever could. more

Few people know that in frontier times, Dallas County was the site of a small Indian uprising. more

The Missouri Department of Conservation’s ongoing search for Chronic Wasting Disease more

Every deer camp has its cast of camp characters. Individuals with special uniqueness blended, like spices and seasonings in a recipe to make deer camp the special place it is. more

When it rains, it pours. You might be familiar with this idiom. It originated in 1914 when Morton Salt used it as a slogan in their national advertising campaign. They wanted consumers to know their salt would not clump but would flow freely, even on rainy days. The phrase stuck, and over one hundred years later, the image of the Morton Salt Girl remains on their containers. more

In August 2024, the BH-FP published an article discussing the benefits of the JROTC program at Bolivar High School. more

An oversight in the 2024 Bolivar High School hall-of-fame article from Sept. 18, 2024, brought James (Jim) Duncan’s service to the forefront. The induction piece claimed, “Derald’s name is inscribed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C….He is the only Polk County resident and Bolivar High School graduate listed as killed in action during the Vietnam War.” “Derald” is Derald Hood, a 21-year-old killed in South Vietnam on Dec. 19, 1970. more

In scarcely more than a week, it seems, the verdant and overgrown woods of summer have given way to the colorful tapestry of fall. more

Here’s a biologist’s report of Missouri’s quail situation that’s all too familiar for the state’s wing shooters: more