HAPPY TO BE HERE
COLUMN — Waking up to a New Year
I am not a morning person. My husband can go from asleep to awake in an instant, but my journey between those two states involves ...
Karen Bellenir, Author at Farmville - Page 2 of 4
HAPPY TO BE HERE
COLUMN — Let there be peace on Earth
Decorations have sprouted all around town, trees are erected indoors and colorful lights sparkle through the long nights. Once again, it’s time to tell the ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, December 4, 2020 6:00 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Searching for signs of intelligent life
When I get an opportunity to let people look at the night sky through my binoculars, their first reaction is often surprise at how much ...
by Karen Bellenir, Tuesday, November 10, 2020 6:00 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Spider webs add seasonal ambiance
Mother Nature has been decorating my yard for Halloween. Because of her exuberant placement of spiders and webs, I’m feeling more prepared for the annual ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, October 2, 2020 6:46 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Journeying into the future means taking steps into the unknown
Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Unsheltered, includes the story of a mother who suffers from fear and anxiety. The author writes, “Willa believed in the power of ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, September 4, 2020 6:30 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Look to the sky for a show full of stars
I don’t know what’s on television tonight, but I do know this month is a prime time for stargazing. As the world slips toward autumn, ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, August 7, 2020 6:00 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Close encounters of the wild kind
During extra hours recently spent at home, I have turned my attention to working in the yard and the garden, wandering in the woods and ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, June 5, 2020 6:00 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Finding enjoyment during this time of staying home
Everyone I know has felt the impact of non-essential business closures, stay-at-home edicts, and social distancing guidelines. For some, these rules have presented challenges, and ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, May 1, 2020 6:00 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Everyday magic in ordinary things
I love stories that include magic. My fascination stretches back to my growing-up years. As a young child, I fancied a story by the Brothers ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, April 3, 2020 6:00 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
New time plan proposed
Take a look at your watch, your phone or a nearby clock. Some devices may run a bit fast or slow, but if you adjust ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, March 6, 2020 6:00 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Being active helps battle winter’s dreary days
One recent morning, I woke up after a restless night. I hadn’t slept well. I was cold. My left hip hurt. My right shoulder ached, ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, February 7, 2020 6:30 pm
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Festina Lente!
Rather than making resolutions, I adopted a motto for the new year — Festina Lente! I encountered the expression in a delightful novel by Robin ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, January 3, 2020 11:14 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Nature’s light show
As winter approaches, the hours of night lengthen. People throughout our community take advantage of the darkness to display seasonal lights. Nature is planning to ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, December 5, 2019 10:19 am
HAPPY TO BE HERE
A season for gratitude
It’s the season for giving thanks. You’ll probably be receiving advice delivered via social and other media suggesting that you express gratitude for friends and ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, October 31, 2019 1:46 pm
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Whistling past the graveyard
Boo! Did I scare you? Probably not, but as days get shorter and nights cooler, ghoulish expressions and macabre symbols abound. People’s thoughts and decorations ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, October 3, 2019 2:06 pm
HAPPY TO BE HERE
Astronomy and astrology
When I tell people I’m interested in astronomy, I’m surprised to discover how many assume I mean astrology. Reactions fall into two categories. Some try ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, September 5, 2019 3:32 pm
Columns
Here comes trouble
Earlier this year, Cindy and Bill Bergen welcomed Trouble to their Farmville-area farm. That’s Trouble with a capital T. I chatted with the Bergens about ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, August 2, 2019 5:00 am
Columns
Watching humanity’s giant leap
In 1969, my family moved to a small beachside community less than an hour’s drive south of Cape Kennedy in Florida. On the morning of ...
by Karen Bellenir, Friday, July 5, 2019 5:00 am
Columns
Mail by any other name
I can recall a time when the daily arrival of mail created excitement. During my early elementary school days, my family lived on a “rural ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, June 6, 2019 7:47 am
Columns
An open window
One of spring’s many joys is the renewed ability to open windows. All winter long, I’ve had my windows shut and the drapes drawn in ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, May 2, 2019 7:40 am
Columns
Putting an end to war
Since moving to Farmville, I’ve learned that Civil War recollections take center stage every April. During my school years in various classrooms located on both ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, April 4, 2019 7:27 am
Columns
A decade
The dictionary says a decade is something in a group of 10, often 10 years. Chunks of time comprising those years often develop their own ...
by Karen Bellenir, Wednesday, February 27, 2019 6:03 pm
Columns
Climbing the steps
I remember standing with my children waiting for the school bus to come. In mid-winter, the mornings were usually dark and cold. The bus would ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, January 31, 2019 7:58 am
Columns
Bundle up and look up
The moon has a special surprise in store. On the night of Jan. 20, and sliding across midnight, North American sky watchers will be treated ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, January 3, 2019 8:43 am
Columns
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Season’s Greetings
“Merry Christmas!” is a traditional greeting heard on many lips this time of year. I, myself, offer it to family, friends, and even casual acquaintances ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, December 6, 2018 9:50 am
Columns
Learning the wisdom of gratitude
One of my favorite hobbies is sleeping in on Saturday mornings, especially during those wee hours before the sun itself decides to rise. This stands ...
by Karen Bellenir, Thursday, November 1, 2018 7:41 am
Columns
Ghosts from my past
A couple of months ago, the Waterworks Players announced auditions for a forthcoming production of “Blithe Spirit,” a comedy by Noel Coward that was first ...