Beech Tree News Network

Late Bloomer

By Cheryl Hughes

We have an almond tree that is a spectacular beauty in the spring.  It lives in the area just beyond our front yard, and it blooms pink at the same time the peach tree in the backyard blooms pink.  We had two almond trees.  The second one didn’t make it.  Neither did the third or fourth.  Garey and I came to the conclusion that there must be some kind of contaminate or pestilence in the soil in the area, so he dug it up with his backhoe, then we filled it in with fresh topsoil.  

This week, I will conclude my ‘80’s Top Ten series.  As you recall, last week I began the countdown of toys of the decade.  I will now pick up at #7.  At the start of the decade, childhood is changing.  Unlike their parents, ‘80’s moms and dads wanted their kids to voice their feelings.  Toy indu

“If you tell that story one more time, I’m going to divorce you!”  I say this to Garey as he starts once more to tell his sister about the time, when in first grade, he was to represent his class as a fall festival candidate, but his mother got the time wrong—all the while Garey was trying to tell her the right time, but she wouldn’t listen—and they arrived at the school too late, and another little boy was appointed to take his place.  There are two reasons why I threatened to divorce Garey if he told that particular story again.  The first is

This week is part one of my ‘80’a Top Ten finale.  The topic is toys of the decade-from Transformers to the Rubik’s Cube.  All the best toys came out of the ‘80’s.  They were way more than child’s play.  They were hot toys created during the Cold War.  The ‘80’s was when barriers beg

As a retired teacher, a mom and a grandmother, I am a school-calendar follower, and our local school district’s spring break will arrive soon. I love school calendar breaks because my children’s and grandchildren’s schedules are more relaxed. I am happy to see them rest a little more.

Thinking along those lines, I asked friends and family: “Does spring break change your routine? Do you spend more time with family? Does your family travel or enjoy special day trips?” Their responses are listed below:

Every spring since 2016, I have grieved the fact that Mike Huckabee did not become a presidential candidate, and subsequently did not become president of the United States.  I grieve this fact each spring while I am drowning in stacks of bank statements, credit card statements, 1099 forms and receipts from various retail establishments that I am logging into an Excel program on my computer, to be printed out upon completion, then handed to our CPA for tax purposes.  I grieve the fact that Mr. Huckabee did not become our 45th president, because he vowed to do away with income tax.

This week, I will conclude my ‘80’s gadget countdown.  We pick up at #5.  Throughout the ‘80’s, most gadgets started getting smaller.

Governor Beshear criticized socially conservative policy on human life and the family in his weekly news conference: “Every moment that they focus on these culture war type issues, trying to create a new bogeyman for the next election, trying to rile people up, it means they’re not doing important work that could benefit every single person.”He was responding to a “horrendous” (in his words) ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court that frozen embryos are just as deserving of the right to life as any other unborn child. He repeated one word throughout his remarks: “extremism.”

I remember talking to Aggie, Garey’s mom, about how much the world had changed since she was a little girl.  We both agreed that for her, it was like living on another planet.  I am here to report that I have arrived at the “another planet” phase of my life.

The 10th legislative week of the 2024 Regular Session has come to a close, and it's been an impactful one for Kentucky. Our resolve to protect property owner rights was resoundingly affirmed as both House and Senate majorities joined forces to override the veto on House Bill (HB) 18, solidifying its place as law.

This week in the Senate has been eventful, with numerous bills on the table, including one I've been honored to sponsor, SB 27. This legislation tackles an issue close to the heart of every Kentuckian: fair access to affordable medications.