You knew I’d have another turtle or twenty to tell you about, after that last grand turtle-theft edition of this column.
So it is that three decades ago, I was introduced to the snapping turtle.

Have you seen a turtle lately? If you come across one, be kind to the old reptile. If it’s braving a busy road, stop and help it across. If one lives in your backyard, leave a flat dish of water, some tomatoes, a peach; I’ve seen them plunge their faces into each of these.

Explanation of Cogno’s Corner question in The Mountain Adviser 0811

I was kind of hoping that just maybe No. 756 wouldn’t happen. 

Impossible as it seems, I heard a Christmas carol playing on the radio last week reminding us that it’s less than four months until the official start of the 2007 holiday season on the day after Thanksgiving. Rather than encouraging me to hurry out and complete my Christmas shopping early this year, it reminded me of Jimmy Stewart portraying George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life,” which was originally produced in 1946 yet is replayed every Christmas season.  Stewart wonders what would make his life more perfect and searches for happiness and satisfaction in all the wrong places instead of right in front of his eyes.

Look out Judge Thomas O. Jones. The Democrats and Republicans, the ones who in the spirit of bipartisanship voted for “civil remedial fees” aimed at bad Virginia drivers, are bound to head off on an “activist judge” witch hunt soon. 

Answer to Cogno’s Corner in Mountain Adviser 0804

This summer, I’ve appreciated the blessings of refrigerated air:
Cold glacial chunks of pink watermelon on a muggy afternoon. A jar of ice-cube-clinking lemonade forming beads and a wet ring on the counter, and which you hold to your hot face before swigging. The lovely, soul-restoring bliss of chilled chocolate milk, falling through the floors of your innards like a rich cold river, bringing old memories and hopes to life.
Then, there’s my car. I have no AC because I rarely used it in my last car, and don’t drive many long stints on the sun-beaten interstate.

This year’s gospel concert at the Tazewell County Fair offers one musician a chance to visit his mother while spreading the gospel.

Beware whenever “the children” are used to justify some action, inaction or cause. You can bet that “the children” won’t benefit one bit either way. You can be equally sure that all attempts at logical conversation and debate have gone out the window. At that point there can be no pros or cons, only “the children.”