BY Caitlyn KirbySpooky season is upon us. It’s time for tricks and treats; just don’t let the ghouls and goblins keep you from fun and festive opportunities available at Emmitsburg 50+ Center! Great weather and great times await; don’t let a good time spook you this season!  This Halloween, we have some festive activities for…

Second Annual Thurmont Great Pumpkin Pick Up The Thurmont Green Team will be sponsoring the Second Annual Great Pumpkin Pick Up for the residents of Thurmont on Saturday, November 25, beginning at 9:00 a.m. Residents should place their Halloween and Thanksgiving pumpkins on the curb by 8:30 a.m. that morning for pick up by volunteers.…

It’s Party Time! by Valerie Nusbaum Let me start off by wishing each and every one of you a happy fall season, or as my Aunt Faye would have said, “Happy Fall Y’all!” I might as well wish everyone a happy Halloween, too. October 31 will roll around before we know it, followed by Thanksgiving,…

by Valerie Nusbaum My mother passed away recently, and as lots of you know from your own experience with loss, this is a very difficult time. I hope you’ll indulge me as I share some thoughts and memories of happy times with Mom. Autumn was my mom’s favorite time of year. She loved it when…

by Ava Morlier Happy October! Since the holiday of this month provides many sweet flavors (halloween candy, anyone?), today’s dish is savory and warm (to fight the coming chilly temperatures): rice pilaf. Though pilaf can seem pretty basic, its basic nature allows this dish to be versatile and easy to make. No constant incorporation of…

Lis Ruppel The Thurmont Middle School (TMS) LEOs have been very busy the past couple of months. During October and November, TMS LEOs held a coat drive in conjunction with the Thurmont Lions Club Coat Drive for Make a Difference Day. The LEOs collected multiple bags of coats, which were combined with the other coats…

by Valerie Nusbaum This column is for the November issue, so it should be about Thanksgiving and/or being grateful for what we have. In truth, I’m writing this in early October and Thanksgiving is just a blip on my radar at this point. I’m in the middle of getting things ready for Randy’s and my…

by Valerie Nusbaum The year was 1993. The air was turning cooler and the leaves were changing from green to vivid shades of orange, yellow, and red.  Apples were ripe for picking, and the holidays were just around the corner.  We were happy to pull out our sweaters. I remember it well. The month was…

by Anita DiGregory Thanks & Giving Thanksgiving is nearly upon us.  I love Thanksgiving—the faith-based tradition, the family-time, the fun, the food, and the feasting.  Quietly nestled between the sugar overload of Halloween and the incessant over-commercialization of Christmas (I honestly think some retailers had Christmas decorations displayed in September this year!), Thanksgiving has remained…

‘Tis the Season by Valerie Nusbaum It’s September as I’m writing this column. The kids have gone back to school, and summer is pretty much over. I can hardly wrap my mind around those facts. Thanksgiving is only two months away, Christmas is closer than I care to imagine, and Halloween is almost upon us.…

Deb Spalding Folklore suggests that signs and symbols determine our fate. Have good luck if you find a penny or start the day with a double-yoke egg; have bad luck if you break a mirror or have a black cat cross your path. These superstitions can become pretty detailed, like having a rabbit or squirrel…