Articles by Linda Brendle

When it comes to politics and current events, especially those outside the safety of small-town America, I tend to be of the Pollyanna/ostrich persuasion. If I can’t see the bright side of a situation, I stick my head in the sand, hoping it will go away. […]

Several months ago, diets became a popular topic of conversation at our weekly home group Bible study. It’s not surprising since food is the second most important reason for getting together next to the actual study part. Well, maybe the third since we do enjoy each other’s company a lot. […]

A Tale of Two Cities, the epic historical novel by Charles Dickens, begins with a famous opening sentence: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. If you ask most people which of those two choices would best describe 2020 so far, a huge majority would probably choose the latter. […]

During this time of pandemic, social distancing and isolation, the slogan “We’re in this together” has become popular on the news and social media. However, after seeing people in action, I wonder if we really understand what being in something together really means. […]

Our next door neighbors have dogs. First there was one, and then there must have been a visitor because there were puppies. […]

There was a time not too many centuries ago when it was not uncommon for a person to live their entire life within a few miles of the place where they were born. The furthest they traveled was to the nearest town for supplies, church and school. […]

Kitty may be just a cat, but she knows what’s going on. She’s aware that there is a virus out there that sometimes circulates among camels and bats – and cats. At first, she was pretty casual about the whole thing, but as the numbers have risen, she has become more cautious. […]

A bully is defined as a person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable. […]

I loved the Fourth of July when I was a kid. We lived inside the city limits where the authorities frowned on the fun stuff like roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over a bon fire and shooting off fireworks. So we usually celebrated Independence Day at Aunt Fay’s. […]