About a month ago, my neighbor sent a text asking if I wanted some of her fresh basil which was growing in abundance. Together, we clipped a bagful of the herb, then she loaned me her “Moosewood Cookbook” so I could use the basil to follow the book’s pesto recipe. That afternoon, I made the most delicious homemade pesto pasta that even the pickiest eater in the house loved. 

The Franklin Chamber of Commerce announced that plans are underway for the Annual Christmas Parade, which will officially ring in the holiday season. The celebration will take place at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30. 

Last September, my family was gearing up for our first “leaf season” (and apple season, and hayride season, and football season) in Haywood County. As recent transplants from another state, we had heard about how beautiful the mountains are in early fall, and we were looking forward to experiencing it.

Kayden is doing her very best not to tell me about the preparations she and mom and Jack have made for Father’s Day, but she is six years old, and at this age especially, secrets are like little, wet bars of soap.

Search online, or in a library or bookshop, and you’ll find how-to books about parenting. Recent popular titles include “Simplicity Parenting,” “The Five Principles of Parenting” and “How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk.” There are even books about how not to parent, like Leonard Sax’s “The Collapse of Parenting.” 

This summer and fall, visitors can enjoy family-friendly programs in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, starting June 7. Visitors are invited to take a hike with a ranger, learn about mountain life, meet some of the creatures that call the Smokies’ home, trek into the dark and much more.  

Members of the community, including numerous people from several law enforcement agencies, gathered on the lawn in front of Haywood County’s historic courthouse last Wednesday for an event to highlight a growing problem in our community — child abuse. 

In recognition of April as child abuse prevention month, KARE is inviting the community to join in celebrating the strength and hope that help families thrive.

It was one of those moments that I don’t think I’ll ever forget.

A moment just to myself, where when the moment was unfolding in real time, you feel an immediate and deep gratitude for, this intrinsic connection to the universe. 

Is it just me or, as we get older, doesn't it seem like time moves at warp speed? When I was a child, minutes felt like hours and days felt like weeks. Maybe it was because getting lost in a moment was effortless or, while my parents and teachers managed the hard stuff, I was left to simply play and explore.