Asking EricDear Eric: Two years ago, a group of 11 women on my husband’s side, including his mother, sisters and aunts, went on a beach house girls’ trip. The group also included the daughters-in-law of his aunts.
Dear Eric: A few years ago, I noticed a change in a close friend of more than four decades. She is beloved, kind, supportive and generous and has been a great friend over the decades.
I don't know how many of you know someone, or you are that someone, that as soon as the sun rises on Nov. 1, you're trading the jack'o'lanterns for door wreathes.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Some gardeners take a hands-off approach to leaves in the fall.
As a naturalist, I receive a lot of phone calls about various subjects and one topic comes up frequently, “where are all the ladybugs.”These individuals lament that all they see are the Asian variety that bite and infest their homes. I can certainly empathize with their concern, as I too am concerned about the plight of the native lady beetles.However, it is not just the ladybugs that are in trouble, it is insects in general.
I just want to reinforce that if you read this title at speed and thought it said bare knuckle club, you are in error. While I, like most people, have issues that would perhaps be relieved if I pummeled someone, my T-Rex arms and tiny fists the size of a crab apples would make it a poor choice of therapy.
The evening is coming when children, and I use that term “children” loosely, will come to my door, dressed in costumes that range from cute to the macabre to the barely there. These little people will hold their bag of candy/loot in front of me, and utter the phrase “Trick or Treat”.I am not a monster.
You know that thing that you were supposed to do that was not too time-sensitive? That thing that you told your spouse or partner or yourself that you would take care of? You probably repeated yourself a few days and then suddenly that thing was right around the corner.Much to my wife's chagrin, that thing was Halloween costumes.Uh-oh.If you recall in my last column, which I will continue to write, I alluded to what our family costume was.If you guessed a beloved cartoon sailor, his perpetual damsel-in-distress and their sweet, little waif then you are correct. It was Popeye, Olive Oyl, and Swee'Pea.Did we wear those costumes when we took our son trunk-or-treating last weekend? No.
ANDREW COUNTY, Mo. — The MU Extension northwest region is starting a new series of bi-weekly employee spotlights for each county.These serve to introduce the individuals who serve the community and county.This week's MU spotlight is Gwen Funk.Gwen Funk has been working with MU Extension for one year as a Field Specialist in Horticulture, leveraging her expertise in native prairies, forest restoration, and education to build a network of collaborators in the region.She is actively working on developing volunteer networks through the Extension Master Gardener program and community partnerships.Funk enjoys the rural nature of northwest Missouri and appreciates the collaboration between different MU Extension groups.To learn more about the Extension Master Gardener program or to collaborate with MU Extension, you can contact Gwen Funk via email at gfunk@missouri.edu or through the Andrew County Extension Office at (816) 324-3147..