Author Archives: vanbytheriver

Randy Parker

Posted on December 29, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Am I the only one concerned about what happened to Randy ? As the younger brother of Ralphie Parker in “A Christmas Story”, Randy clearly had a troubled childhood. He was often shown hiding under kitchen cabinets, worried about the … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Family, Food, Humor, Movies, Nature, News | Tagged , | 80 Comments

In Heavenly Peace

Posted on December 22, 2017 by vanbytheriver

  On December 16, thousands of volunteers placed Christmas wreaths  on almost 250,000 graves at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1992, Morrill Worcester of Maine donated a surplus of wreaths to Arlington in remembrance of a visit to Washington DC that … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Books, Education, Entertainment, Nature, News | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The Great Escape

Posted on December 15, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Stormy has had it with show business. The 1600 lb. Hereford escaped a live Nativity scene in Philadelphia yesterday. Twice. The first time, the 7 year old cow was found heading south on Interstate 95 at about 2:30 am. Police … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Entertainment, Food, Humor, Nature, News, Travel | Tagged , , | 73 Comments

Candid Comments

Posted on December 7, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Blog posts are planned, considered, edited. Comments are not, they are spontaneous. That is where the good stuff lives. Did you ever submit a comment, then sit back and wonder how it would be received ? Did I just say … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Entertainment, Inspiration, Technology, Writing | Tagged , , | 129 Comments

The Gardener’s Secret

Posted on December 4, 2017 by vanbytheriver

I knew he had a secret. He had the best garden, the richest soil, and produce into late November. What was he doing differently than the rest of us ? I walk my dog past his house daily, and had … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Entertainment, Food, Gardening, Nature, News, Technology | Tagged , , | 44 Comments

Move Over, Rose

Posted on December 1, 2017 by vanbytheriver

For the 20 years since the release of the Oscar winning film Titanic, folks have been asking the same question. If Rose had moved over, could Jack have fit onto that piece of wood and been saved from a tragic … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Books, Education, Entertainment, Movies, News, Technology | Tagged , , | 76 Comments

Goosebumps

Posted on November 27, 2017 by vanbytheriver

If you react to certain kinds of music with goosebumps, you have a unique brain. You may have a wider, richer range of emotions. Those who get chills from music have structural differences in the brain, namely “a higher volume … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Music, News, Technology | Tagged , , | 75 Comments

Hostess

Posted on November 21, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Scene: Thanksgiving Day. T minus 30 minutes. The bronzed bird is resting on the counter, but you need the drippings to make the gravy. The potatoes are boiling furiously, and you are waiting to drain some of that starchy cooking … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Beauty, Education, Entertainment, Family, Food, Home | Tagged , , | 90 Comments

Gobble

Posted on November 16, 2017 by vanbytheriver

Ten days before Thanksgiving, we took our kids to a local turkey farm. As we approached the fence, they rushed over to us, crying out in unison, a collective gobble, timed about every 10 seconds. It is said that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Beauty, Education, Entertainment, Family, Food, Nature, Travel | Tagged , | 45 Comments

Wookin’ Pa Nub

Posted on November 12, 2017 by vanbytheriver

With internet access, it is easy to verify song lyrics. It might just be taking away the mystery, and a bit of fun. When artists created their LP (Long Playing) record albums in the past, they would often include printed … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books, Education, Entertainment, Humor, Music, Writing | Tagged , , | 58 Comments