During my time teaching Earth and space science, I was occasionally asked, during our astronomy unit, “What’s your favorite planet?” My quick response was always the same: Earth. That was not one of the responses students were hoping for, but I persisted and still do. We share our solar system with seven other amazing planets as well as thousands of other very cool space objects but we have, far and away, the best of them all. Read more

A new temporary storage facility has been built on Route 15 here in Zion Crossroads. I am constantly amazed at how popular these types of places are. Apparently many of us have more stuff than can fit into our home, so we rent space to store it. And not just any space, but space that is both heated and air conditioned! Our forefathers would not understand this phenomenon, I’m sure. Read more

While there are drawbacks to wintertime walks on the big planet, there are also some big advantages. There are no issues with humidity and sweating, there are no flies, ticks or mosquitoes looking to snack on you, no spider webs to wrap around your face and no danger of surprise or attack from snakes. Read more

Dear readers, a couple of days after Christmas I went to the Zion Crossroads Walmart to pick up some milk. And thank goodness I did! Because the store shelves were already fully stocked with Valentine’s Day candy, and I was able to purchase some before they ran out. Everyone knows heart-shaped chocolate tastes best when it’s eaten with the last bit of Christmas eggnog! Read more

One of my favorite things to do during the holidays is to drive around and look at homes decorated for Christmas. You just can’t beat touring a neighborhood or two in a warm vehicle, while sipping a hot beverage. And as a bonus, this is a perfectly acceptable physically distanced activity to do in 2020. Read more

If you want a cheap tour of the Holy Land, check for a church group going in January – but dress warmly and carry a raincoat. That’s the rainy season there, tourists are scarce, and thus rates are low. Nazareth is about the same 33-degree-north latitude as San Diego and Phoenix, but you won’t be in either. Not even close. December and January are the rainy months and temperatures run in the low 50s.  Read more

This past election I served as a poll watcher at the Mineral Baptist Church. I had never done this, and kind of fell into it. I’d like to share my experiences there so that people can gain an understanding of how the voting process works from the perspective of the people who administer it.  Read more

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