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Enjoying The Wildlife

Hickory Heights has an abundance of wildlife. I enjoy every minute of it. This morning, I watched a black squirrel running around the yard. First, I saw him in the grass. Then he was halfway up a tree. I let my dog out, but the squirrel did pay any attention. I know there are at least two of them around my yard because I have seen them both at once. They are fun to watch. They run a little, then stop and stand up to look around. If there is nothing to disturb them, they continue on their way. One winter I watched a squirrel as it made its way through the snow. He would duck under the ...

Why People Settle Here

We often bemoan the reasons that people leave the area—the winters are too long, the taxes are too high, there aren’t enough jobs, etc. But, there are also reasons that people want to settle and live here. I would put at the top of the list, the making of life-long friendships. One of my kids recently attended his 30th anniversary of graduating from high school. Those friendships from years ago are still strong, and several from his class now live around here. We live in a place that nourishes a sense of home. Yes, you can go live in the “hot spots” of the country like New ...

Are We Preparing For A Climate Disaster?

Recent extreme rain events in Asheville, N.C., Valencia, Spain, and other places have me thinking. The North Carolina flooding was caused by over 30 inches of rain from Hurricane Helene, while parts of Valencia received 20 inches during an intense rainstorm last month. In both events, over 200 people were killed in locations residents thought were safe from disasters. Hurricane Harvey dropped over 60 inches of rain on Houston over a 4-day period, killing 100 people. It was the largest ever recorded rainfall total in the US, exceeding the total set by Hurricane Hiki in Hawaii in ...

1503 And Other Inconvenient Truths

For many years, Western Civilization (Western Tradition) has been under assault from the Marxist Left – in schools, colleges, the media, woke corporations, etc. Why? Simply because the foundations of the Western Tradition (dating to around 1750) assume the individual’s right to “Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness”. It stands in opposition to the Left’s authoritarian collectivist / socialist objectives where the individual can only exist as a servant on the State plantation. The Western Tradition, which ironically led the world out of slavery, is disingenuously being ...

To His Credit, Trump Stays On Message

Here’s something new following the 2024 presidential election. Inauguration Day 2025 is unique in American history. Not because a former president is taking the oath of office. That happened in 1893, when President Grover Cleveland 22 became President Grover Cleveland 24. Rather, Inauguration Day 2025 is unique because, for the first time in American history, Inauguration Day will witness a change in presidents, and the incoming president—because of term limits under the Twenty-Second Amendment—may not serve out the term and be elected president again. You haven’t read ...

New Medicare Rates Can Influence Insurance Options

Question: I started collecting Social Security and signed up for Medicare this year. What happens in 2025? Answer: It is that time of year when lots of new information is announced. I am very pleased that we have the answers to these questions. It is useful to know what your premiums and other cost shares for Medicare will be when considering your insurance options. Social Security announced their 2025 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and the increase is 2.5%. That means your Social Security Benefit (gross amount) will go up by 2.5%. That becomes a $25 increase on a $1000 benefit, ...