In the heart of Noble County, a sanctuary offers a little “R and R” for animals. But here, that stands for “rescue and retirement.” The Black Pine Animal Park provides a permanent home for former performing circus animals and displaced exotic “pets.” And while caring for these animals, park personnel stress responsible pet ownership to… Continue reading.

  Electric cooperatives share in nation’s quest to secure the promise of renewables Green sprigs of young corn plants signaled spring’s eternal renewal. Their two or three leaves, looking oversized to the yet tiny stalk, waved in the gentle breeze blowing across the open fields  of rich brown earth. Nearby — and all around to… Continue reading.

Hazards commonly found in older homes are increasingly causing fires and fatalities in the United States. However, by taking a few simple steps and by incorporating newer technology, you can protect your home from many of these dangers. Each year the Electrical Safety Foundation International sponsors May as National Electrical Safety Month. For this year’s… Continue reading.

Artist of the year ‘works’ at his art The work of art winning the Best of Show in this year’s cooperative calendar of student art contest depicts children at play. But “work” was the operative word for this piece of art. Sophomore Kenny Martin and his Whitko High School art teacher, Walter Malicki, both agreed… Continue reading.

I’m writing from a chilly horse barn. I’m watching my daughter perched atop a willful, yet beautiful, horse named Tucker. They’ve spent most of an hour trotting — first in a clockwise circle, then counterclockwise. Over and over again, they travel together around the dressage barn going faster than I’ve seen them go before. After… Continue reading.

 (This article originally appeared in the February 2008 issue of Electric Consumer.) Before Abraham Lincoln belonged to the ages, he belonged to the Ohio, Anderson and Sangamon rivers. Before he belonged to the Union he saved, he belonged to the fields and flatboats, borrowed books and backwoods, creeks and courtrooms of Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois…. Continue reading.

When magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman asked, “What, me worry?” he obviously didn’t know what he was saying. There’s a whole list of reasons to worry: the economy, the election, the war, crime, our children, our jobs, our overloaded schedules. Of course we’re going to worry! After 10 minutes reading the newspaper or listening to… Continue reading.

American First Day Cover Society Contact: Douglas Kelsey Executive Director PO Box 65960, Tucson, AZ 85728-5960 520-321-0880 afdcs@aol.com www.afdcs.org A full-service, not-for-profit, noncommercial society devoted exclusively to First Day Covers and First Day Cover collecting. Publishes 90-page magazine, First Days, eight times per year. Offers information on 300 current cachet producers, expertizing, foreign covers, translation… Continue reading.

Electricity is probably the most profound and pervasive man-made power to touch our lives. It’s a product and a service. Electricity is power plants and poles, wires and meters, outlets and switches. But it’s also the light in the night, the world at our fingertips, TV and music. Electricity is the roar of machinery from… Continue reading.

Trips together down memory lane began with a flat tire My husband and I met over a flat tire in 1959. He stopped to help me fix it. We started to date and in 1960, he bought this beautiful car: a 1960 red Chevy Impala convertible. One of our great memories is driving to Indianapolis… Continue reading.

Limberlost Cabin puts you in Stratton-Porter’s shoes In a framed photograph on a mantel, Gene Stratton-Porter stands beside a fireplace. As you look at the photo, it suddenly dawns on you that you’re standing exactly where she stood when the photo was taken a century ago. That’s what the Limberlost State Historic Site in Geneva… Continue reading.

Gene Stratton-Porter was a self-taught naturalist, novelist, photographer and illustrator. Here’s a glimpse of her life. Born: Aug. 17, 1863, Wabash County. Family: Charles Porter, husband (married 1886); Jeannette, daughter (born 1887). Died: Dec. 6, 1924, in Los Angeles in a traffic accident. Milestones: Moved to Geneva in 1889. By 1900, photographed birds and animals… Continue reading.