Opinion

After 20+ Years, a Major Change It's quite possible that most of us will mark 2020 in our journals as the year everything changed. It has, thanks to Covid-19, caused seismic changes to our economy. The social landscape looks completely different now that everyone is socially distanced and masked. We've had to rethink how to do our jobs, educate our children and worship our God.

Right to Disagree Dear Gerry, I am writing as a concerned citizen of the United States, Texas, and Mason. I do not recognize my country. The scenes in Portland remind me of a place I lived for a year as a Fulbright Professor. Watching the attacks on protesters by unaccountable government agents made my hair stand on end.

As I am writing this on Sunday afternoon, the hurricane weather event has not really extended to Art. We have had a few scattered showers. Maybe tomorrow will bring more rain. I am glad to see that most area schools plan to open in August. The world is ready to get back into a routine. Class meetings continue on Wednesday evenings at the church.

Laundromat Short-Cuts… Until the mid-twentieth century, most American women had every right to sing “washday blues,” because one day each week--for most, the longest day--was committed to washing, hanging out, ironing and folding the family duds. The day started with a trip to the laundromat, since most homes at the time were lucky to have indoor plumbing, much less washing machine and certainly not dryers. I recall my mother telling my brother and me to bring books along while sh ...

Our last virtual kids event was last week, but we do still have book logs available for “Read for a Treat” so drop by to sign your child up. We are also sad to announce that we will be canceling Old Yeller Day, but we will be back next year on September 25, 2021. New to the Library: DVDs: Father Brown Season 6 The Lost Husband Balthazar Series 1 Madam Secretary Season 6 Mr.

Mother’s Quick Easy Rolls courtesy: Henrietta Fritz I’m always looking for new ways to make biscuits and rolls, and this recipe sounded interesting so I made up a batch of them. I’m glad I did and I think you’ll be very happy with them as well! Simple, easy, requiring no special ingredients; they’re right in the Practical Baker’s wheelhouse. Ingredients: 1 cup milk ¼ cup shortening ¼ cup sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups A/P flour 1 teaspoon salt Process: ...

Just Hang Loose! A city slicker went on his first deer hunt. One morning he came back to camp with his camo clothes in tatters, face and arms covered with scratches and bruises. He looked like he’d caught on fire and somebody had tried to put him out with a weed-whacker! When his buddies saw him they asked, “What in the world happened to you?” “A big black snake chased me,” replied the novice outdoorsman. “But a black snake isn’t poisonous,” one of the experience ...

How Do Scientists Use Models? During the current COVID-19 pandemic, you have probably read a lot about scientific models. Scientists rely on models of how systems work to take new data, add that information into a model, and then use the model and new data make predictions. The predictions may be about the future (things we haven’t observed yet), or about the past (things no one was around to record). You have likely heard someone downplay such predictions, by saying “it’s only a mo ...

One Month Until School Starts.... School is scheduled to resume, in the classroom, on August 17. Federal and state authorities, who have repeatedly said that decisions about response to Covid-19 should be determined at the local level, are pushing a national move to get studentAs and teachers back into their classrooms as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Mason has had over 35 cases, though officially we no longer have any current positives.

Summer is definitely here. This heat wave hits you in the face when you walk outside. If you work outside, please be careful. It is hot. You can become dehydrated quickly. Class Meetings continue on Wednesday evenings at the Art United Methodist Church. Soup is served at 6:00 and the meeting follows at 6:30. The Finance Committee of the Art United Methodist Church will meet on July 29 at 5:30 at the church. Happy Birthday to Kathy Jordan and Liz Ferguson on July 15, Karen Toone on July ...