So, I will choose joy more

Grandson Colson has never gone to the back of Grandpa’s farm to cut a Christmas tree. more

Of all the things you associate with this time of year, the start of bird courtship in the outdoors probably isn’t one of them. more

See what’s going on in Polk County! Mark your calendars for these upcoming events. Some events may require registration or admission fees; please contact the organization for more details. more

“Violent Night” doesn’t have it in itself to be the best naughty Christmas movie ever made, so it tries to compensate by being every naughty Christmas movie ever made. more

What could I write about this week other than this fateful date in 1941, the Sunday morning Japanese bombers attacked Pearl Harbor, the date President Franklin D. Roosevelt called a “Day of Infamy,” the date the United States of America was plunged into a world war? more

Every now and then, I run across a seemingly random fact that takes up residence in my head – like elephants can’t jump. (It’s physically impossible for them.) Or the fact that certain types of trees won’t let the tips of their highest branches touch the trees next to them – a phenomenon called “crown shyness.” And this week I’ve added another odd fact to my growing collection: A new study finds that octopuses are one of a small group of animals that can purposefully throw things at targets. more

I thought one of the perks of making it to middle age would be that we no longer have to suffer the indignities of puberty. No more awkward body changes. No more hormone-induced mood swings. Isn’t time and experience supposed to make us more comfortable in our own skin? more

The onslaught of December holiday parties, work functions, and family gatherings is in full swing. more

If you grew up more than 50 years ago you are likely a storehouse of obsolete, if not completely worthless, skills. more

It’s highly unlikely many people would mention field mice if they were asked to make a list of Missouri’s most important wild mammals. more

Hearken, America, to what I say, more