Adventures in BRENDALANDI lived on a small rural farm as a child. My parents planted soybeans and cotton. After the crops were done, my brother and I would sometimes walk the fields. If there was heav...

We all know how it feels to have done it. We wanted to be brave, but at the last minute we pulled up stakes and ran for the hills. Our self-preservation the only thing on our chicken-liver minds. Then...

Most investors are aware of the different types of stocks: big-company, small-company, technology, international and so on. And it may be a good idea to own a mix of these stocks as part of your overa...

I’m sure the phrase ‘you see something, say something’ has probably been used for decades.That statement took on added meaning on 9/11. The term was first coined by New York advertising executive Alle...

With the conclusion of the annual Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) Heroes Ball, we know it is time to trade our costumes for our secret identity normal clothes, but I need to share with yo...

American author of children’s books Sharon Creech celebrates July 29, 1945, as her birth date in South Euclid, Ohio. She grew up with her sister Sandy and three brothers, Dennis, Doug and Tom.Sharon t...

Are we underestimating the risk of extreme weather?“Growing wheat is getting harder in a warming world,” was the headline of a story I came across the first week of June. Needless to say, with dismal ...

July 28 is National Milk Chocolate Day! I haven’t dedicated a whole column to chocolate since 2019 so I thought I would do it again now. After all, I am a self-diagnosed chocaholic - to the core! Choc...

To be successful in most endeavors, it’s important to develop good habits - and that’s certainly the case for investors. And the earlier one develops these habits, the better. So, if you have teenager...

Hello Okmulgee County friends and neighbors. How many of you have the love of nature in your heart? Specifically, fishing, swimming and the like.By now, you’ve figured out we are a long way from the o...

Have you noticed in these recent years, you really can’t believe anything anymore? If you see a photo on the internet, it’s most likely been doctored. Photoshop creates its own reality. Hear someone t...

As a widow, one of the most frustrating things for me is dealing with home repairs. I don’t mind things that I can fix with zip ties, baling wire, a hammer or drill. Frankly, I think I’m hell on wheel...

First Family FCU had a Back 2 School Box. Those who donated were entered into a drawing for $100.Wildlife food plots and deer management workshops were planned in the fall for sportsmen and hunters.He...

“God’s lesson is that you can run from me, but you can’t hide,” says Kate, age 10.“If you are playing hide and go seek or if somebody can’t find you, God can,” says Sara, 10.We all think we’re experts...

I recently had the pleasure of visiting a program in Tahlequah geared toward support of families experiencing great needs. The innovative way in which they are locally dealing with societal issues in ...

After spending decades in the workforce, you might look forward to the day you retire. But if you decide, for one reason or another, that you’d like to redefine “retirement” to include part-time work ...

Cheating - taking what you didn’t earn. Yeah, that’s a real self-esteem builder. “I’m not brainy enough or strong enough to do it myself, I have to ‘borrow’ from someone else.”Stealing - So, you are t...

Canadian author Paulette Bourgeois celebrates her birth date July 20, 1951, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.In 1974, Paulette received her B.S. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Western Ont...

Henryetta considered repairing the million gallon water tank. The repairs cost between $300,000 and $400,000 but were expected to cost almost $1 million.The Henryetta Free-Lance had price changes for ...

The older I get, the more aware I become of just how precious our “time” really is. When Steve died, that particular lesson came down on my head like thunder and lightning. Losing someone precious dri...