If you find yourself daydreaming about practically living outdoors next summer so that you don’t miss a moment of sunshine, then you also need to be dreaming about what your outdoor living space will look like. It can range from a fire pit to a full kitchen with a wine cooler, fireplace and furniture. Patty […]
Holly Whisler
Posted inSpecial Issues
Wind down with a glass of wine
Feeling the need to explore the world around you after working from home since last year? Quench that thirst for adventure with a glass of wine or a cold craft beer at local establishments that have a wide variety of options. Barely 13 miles southwest of Springfield, in the middle of what seems to be […]
Posted inArts & Culture
A backyard oasis
Is your outdoor space a beautiful refuge of relaxation? If not, there’s no time like the present to transform it into your own piece of paradise. Landon Kirby, president and owner of Knob Hill Landscape Company, 661 W. Camp Sangamo Road, said “business has just exploded” since the pandemic kept people in their homes for […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Spring cleaning for your garden
The old adage, “Out with the old and in with the new,” is applicable to so many aspects of life. It even applies to spring gardening. Although Mother Nature effortlessly brings forth new growth each year, there are a few simple tips to get the most beauty out of your perennial flower garden. The first […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Evaluate your financial health
Typically, people make resolutions at the dawn of each new year to improve their health and physical fitness. Now that a global pandemic has caused many businesses to close their doors and cost more than a million Illinoisans their jobs, the list of resolutions for 2021 may include improving one’s financial health. Even those who […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
How and why to compost
Did your grandmother set aside egg shells and coffee grounds on the kitchen counter following a big breakfast? If you never asked her why, your grandmother and many others in her generation were composting, just like more and more people are doing today. Composting at home is economical and environmentally friendly. Compost is organic material […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Perennials are made to share
Perennials are flowers, vines and ornamental grasses that are planted once and continue to return each year, gracing our gardens with beautiful color throughout the spring, summer and fall. The National Garden Association reserves the term perennial for plants that live more than two years. Perennials frequently seen in central Illinois include purple coneflower, hosta, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Home fixups on a budget
Spring is finally here and it is prime time for home projects. Since you have been looking at the inside of your home for more than a month, it’s likely you have come up with some ideas to give your home a facelift, make it more enjoyable, or maybe even prepare it for sale. Perhaps […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
FRANK PAPP April 7, 1914-Oct. 27, 2019
Frank Papp won the lottery twice, in more ways than one. His monetary winnings never amounted to more than $10,000, although he certainly enjoyed being able to share his good fortune with his grandchildren. However, he also served in both WWII and the Korean War, returning home each time and devoting himself to his family, […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
Only four in 10 U.S. adults have a will or living trust, according to a study conducted in 2019 by Caring.com, an online destination for those seeking information and support as they care for aging parents, spouses and other loved ones. The study showed 81% of those aged 72 or older and 58% of baby boomers […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Are you covered?
While a standard homeowner’s insurance policy covers the gamut of bad luck scenarios, such as theft, disasters or accidents, there is a limit to the amount of financial protection it can provide. According to the Insurance Information Institute, most standard homeowner’s policies cover four essential types of coverage: the structure of your home, your personal […]
Posted inSpecial Issues
Routine screenings can help you stay healthy
Health screenings are medical tests that doctors use to check for diseases and health conditions before there are signs and symptoms. Results of health screenings detect whether or not disease conditions are present so that physicians can work with their patients to make a plan for better health early on in the disease process. If […]
