Midwestern humorist Gary Anderson's third book takes aim at the wide-ranging emotions of the Christmas season in this collection of short stories. From the insanity of the Christmas that brought a troop of clowns to the farm, to the poignancy of an old couple, recalling the most touching moment of their 60 Christmases together, this collection offers Anderson's unique reflections on both the hilarious and the touching sides of the holiday season. "Oh, that everyone would see what Christmas is really about! I long to have a simple Christmas, full of memories of family times and remembering why we celebrate Christmas. The commercialism has gotten to be too much. Thank you for a beautiful article. Run it again next year and maybe you can rid the world of some insanity!" -Traci Vujicich, syndicated columnist "I'm so excited about your articles! They just sparkle!" -Gloria Peck, Editor, Waterlines magazine "I'm always on the lookout for pieces that reflect solid values as well as a thoughtful writer-which you obviously are." -Linda Meehan, Editor, Country Heart magazine "You have a wonderful way with words." -Linda Radke, Managing Editor, Five Star Publications

Ohio can be a land of weather extremes. Bringing together data from government records, scientific studies, memoirs, diaries and newspapers, this study highlights 200 weather events from 1790 to the present which demonstrate extremes of rain, snow, storms and temperature.

A New Edition of Peter Guttman's Dazzling Photographic Treasury of Holiday Lights and Celebrations Nothing reminds us of the good things in life—family, friendship, food, and good cheer—more than Christmas. With stunning images and illuminating text, award-winning photographer Peter Guttman offers a dazzling overview of the wintry landscapes, traditions, ceremonies, spectacles, and pastimes of the holiday season throughout the United States. Delve into the landscapes and streetscapes of Christmas in America and you can almost smell the frosted scent of snow-covered pines, of chestnuts roasting, and of family meals being shared. In the East, we find the spirit of the season in a cozy Vermont country inn, or an “army of elves” in a Philadelphia parade, or the sweeping grace of the sugar plum fairies in the Nutcracker Suite. In the heartland, we dogsled through a crystal wilderness in Minnesota and discover blazing bonfires in Louisiana. The snowy cliffs of the Grand Canyon, steam trains weaving high amongst the Rockies, the textured pueblos of New Mexico, the almost heavenly night sky of Utah’s Monument Valley, and the indescribable glazed beauty of Yosemite reflect the West. Like the holiday season itself, Christmas in America is a treasure.

Bestselling classic with historical accounts, full-color vintage images, and a selection of recipes from Pennsylvania's Christmas past Originally published in 1959 and written by one of the seminal figures in American folklife studies, this classic work examines the folk origins of Christmas in the Keystone State. Composed of interviews and contemporary newspaper reports, it records holiday traditions from the eighteenth century through the early twentieth century, including mummers, Christ-Kindel and Kriss Kringle, Christmas trees and trimming, Belsnickels, the Philadelphia carnival of horns, Moravian pyramids and putzes, Pittsburgh firecracker celebrations, and holiday treats. Now with full-color images, this edition includes Don Yoder's new expanded afterword on recent research of Christmas customs and a selection of traditional recipes.

Snyder focuses exclusively on Midwestern garden problems and prescribes simple, effective remedies. She explains different gardening techniques and offers advice: hints for growing annuals and perennials, tricks for cultivating beautiful roses and keeping the beautiful year after year, up-to-the minute tips on the kinds of vegetables ready-made for the region, and a list of fruits that will grow in the Midwest without a fight.

Nowhere are the holidays celebrated with more spirit than in America's Heartland. Award-winning author Marcia Adams captures all the nostalgia and festivity of the Heartland's yuletide season with heirloom recipes and easy-to-make craft ideas that are sure to become treasured family traditions. From an intimate breakfast around the tree to a lavish open house party for friends, she highlights the rituals, foods, and special observances that make Christmas the most memorable time of the year for families everywhere.

Originally published in 1959 and written by a pioneer in American folk-life studies, this classic work examines the folk origins of Christmas in Pennsylvania. Composed of interviews and newspaper reports, it records holiday traditions from the eighteenth century through to the early twentieth century. In this edition, Don Yoder has contributed a new foreword, providing insight into Alfred L. Shoemaker's influential career and the significance of this still vital work, and an afterword, offering a look at recent research on Christmas customs.

“Miner’s story of Milwaukee is filled with memorable characters . . . explores with consummate skill the dynamics of race, politics, and schools in our time.” —Mike Rose, author of The Mind at Work Weaving together the racially fraught history of public education in Milwaukee and the broader story of hypersegregation in the rust belt, Lessons from the Heartland tells of a city’s fall from grace—and its chance for redemption in the twenty-first century. A symbol of middle American working-class values, Wisconsin—and in particular urban Milwaukee—has been at the forefront of a half century of public education experiments, from desegregation and “school choice” to vouchers and charter schools. This book offers a sweeping narrative portrait of an all-American city at the epicenter of public education reform, and an exploration of larger issues of race and class in our democracy. The author, a former Milwaukee Journal reporter whose daughters went through the public school system, explores the intricate ways that jobs, housing, and schools intersect, underscoring the intrinsic link between the future of public schools and the dreams and hopes of democracy in a multicultural society. “A social history with the pulse and pace of a carefully crafted novel and a Dickensian cast of unforgettable characters. With the eye of an ethnographer, the instincts of a beat reporter, and the heart of a devoted mother and citizen activist, Miner has created a compelling portrait of a city, a time, and a people on the edge. This is essential reading.” —Bill Ayers, author of Teaching Toward Freedom “Eloquently captures the narratives of schoolchildren, parents, and teachers.” —Library Journal

After working beside her sisters for years on their Iowa farm, Meg McCartney finds herself alone, trying to do the work of three people. She’s never been one to mope around, but she’s lonely and tired and at the end of her rope – desperate enough to give serious thought to an offer that has come in for the farm…and for her. Farris Warner has spent the last ten years fighting. Fighting the cancer that took his wife’s life, leaving him a widower with four small children. Fighting the government as it took the farm that had been in his family for eight generations through eminent domain for a new airport. Fighting to keep his sanity as he tried to work his farm, raise his kids and keep up with lawyers and doctors and teachers and schools. He’s desperate. Desperate enough that when an old buddy makes an outrageous suggestion…he’s ready to take him up on it. Can two down-on-their-luck strangers take the pieces of their lives and make something beautiful out of them? Listen to Jay Dyess perform this book - and many of Jessie's other books - for FREE on YouTube HERE: https://www.youtube.com/SaywithJay Reviewers Say: ★★★★★ "Oh my goodness! Meg deserved to find the best man, and she certainly did." - Mom of 8 ★★★★★ "I love all of Jessie's books. She tells heartwarming stories with just the right amount of romance. Trials that are worked out through prayer. People that grow to love each other in the very best way." - Mary ★★★★★ "Another enjoyable story by Jessie. I’m already looking forward to the next in this series! I love the families and the inclusion of God and how inspiring life can be with him in your life." - Kathy ★★★★★ "A great read a book showing God’s compassion even when we don’t see it. But no matter what we endure His compassions fail not" - Amazon Customer ★★★★★ "Laughter, love, and peace embedded in every page. Wonderful read!" - Sharon Books in A Heartland Cowboy Christmas: Accidental Fiancé with the Heartland Cowboy Second Chance with the Heartland Cowboy Best Friends with the Heartland Cowboy Snowed In with the Heartland Cowboy Wrong Sister with the Heartland Cowboy Convenient Marriage with the Heartland Cowboy Marriage Contract with the Heartland Cowboy Mistaken Identity with the Heartland Cowboy First Love with the Heartland Cowboy

Supernatural is one of the most successful horror TV shows ever, providing fifteen seasons of the adventures of Dean and Sam Winchester as they hunt monsters and save the world. It has nurtured a passionate fan base, which has been far more directly integrated into the show than is typical. Wry and self-aware, Supernatural repeatedly breaks out of the televisual box to acknowledge its fans and its own fictionality. Though there have already been several studies of Supernatural, this volume is the first to focus extensively and intensively on the show's metafictional elements. This essay collection argues that Supernatural is not merely a horror show, but is a show about how horror works as a genre, and how fans interact with their favorite material. From exploring how the show has equated authorship with divinity, to considering its incorporation of fandom and closely reading several key episodes, the essays in this volume seek to examine the multiple layers of textuality found in Supernatural.