Tag: rural life
Grand delusions: Shopping for a house that exists only in my...
From estate sale dishes to marble tables, Kymberly Foster Seabolt shares the humor of thrift shopping for an imaginary mansion instead of her real home.
Grandpa Charlie Part 6: Friends to the end
From church pranks and courting to farming 200 acres with draft horses at what is now Byers Woods, Grandpa Charlie Myers navigated life's deepest trials with humor and grace. A touching reflection on a hardworking Ohio farmer and a lifelong bond of friendship.
Part 5: A new career path for Charlie
In the early 1900s, hard farm work and illness tested the Myers family. With his brother Harry apprenticing in Pittsburgh and his mother hospitalized, young Charlie gave all his earnings to support her surgery, reuniting the family on their Ohio farm.
Halloween roots: How ancient Celtic farm rituals shaped the holiday
Halloween isn’t just modern commercial hype. Discover how the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain—rooted in harvest rhythms, herding livestock, bonfires and carved turnips—traveled across the Atlantic to become the traditions and trick-or-treating we celebrate today.
Part 4: Starting over in Ohio
After losing her husband and daughter, Laura returned to Ohio in May 1897 with five young sons. Thrust into farm labor, 12-year-old Charlie stepped up as the man of the house, helping the family navigate tragedy, heavy plows, and a fresh start on a small Spring Valley farm.
Childhood magic: Why ordinary days beat expensive vacations
Parents often spend years and fortunes trying to engineer magical vacations, only to realize kids cherish the simple moments most. From trampoline snacks to parking lot burgers, the true magic of childhood is found in ordinary days spent together.
Smiths forked over plenty of talent to create prized utensils
Once a simple hearth tool, the pioneer toasting fork became a showcase of early American craftsmanship. Blacksmiths and whitesmiths used intricate filing, inlays, and punchwork to turn these mundane utensils into cherished wedding gifts and enduring folk art.
Historic Law Reed Huss Farm honored with Ohio historical marker
The historic Law Reed Huss Farm in Harrison County has been dedicated with an Ohio Historical Marker, celebrating 180 years of continuous family farming. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the preserved farmstead offers a look into 19th- and 20th-century agriculture.
Autumn glory
We romanticize autumn with flannel and foliage, but the reality brings Ohio weather roulette, furnace standoffs, and reluctant dogs. Kymberly Foster Seabolt embraces the chaos of soup season, frost, and chilly days in this humorous look at the true fall experience.
Part 3: Tragedy befalls the family
In the late 1890s, a Pittsburgh family's thriving life was shattered by a typhoid epidemic and sudden loss. After losing his sister and father, 12-year-old Charlie Myers boarded a train to an Ohio farm to begin life anew. Read Part 3 of the Myers family history.
