Heartland

Satire and the Italian Soul By Greg Maresca | July 11, 2026

Honors the Coal Region’s Italian-American heritage by celebrating its quirks, its contradictions, and its enduring spirit

Now There’s Something You Don’t See Every Day—Training For the Fair By Dr. Bruce Smith | June 23, 2026

Survival in Tough Times: If John Adams and thomas Jefferson drove past that farm, I think they both might smile, then look at me and say, “Now there’s something you don’t see every day!”

A Gift of Fruit By Dr. Bruce Smith | June 16, 2026

Survival in Tough Times: And now, more than 60 years after my grandmother showed me how, I take special care when making an apple pie to slice the apples as thin as possible, and to be grateful for friends with orchards, and for their gift of fruit;

Reminds me of 1886 The Haymarket Riot By Dr. Bruce Smith | May 3, 2026

Survival in Tough Times: Take note of those who in 1886 or even today want the power to define fairness for themselves only;

Cherish the “Golden Goose” By Joseph J. Bucci | March 23, 2026

The earthly entrepreneur is responding to the calling of our Founding Innovator, and by doing this work brings glory to the One who provided us all with great value when creating the universe from zero to done;

Reminds Me Of The Congress of Vienna 1815 By Dr. Bruce Smith | March 9, 2026

The Board of Peace and a Regional Reset;

Spring Is Trying Hard To Arrive Early By Dr. Bruce Smith | March 7, 2026

Survival in Tough Times: Are the snowbirds still here? Soon even they will abandon their winter quarters for the journey to the True North Strong and Free. We wish them a prosperous and successful summer north of the 49th Parallel;

Small Town Comforts By Dr. Bruce Smith | February 13, 2026

Babbs Supermarket, Spencer Indiana: It’s my all-time favorite small town supermarket and home for small town comfort;

The Southern Plains November 2025 By Dr. Bruce Smith | February 8, 2026

Survival in Tough Times: Nostalgic journey for me everytime

Angry Abigail “Abbie” Abernathy By Jimmy Reed | January 7, 2026

She was always angry, never attentive to the needs of others, never kind to anyone, and spent her days in a state of arrogance, aloneness, and aloofness;

A Clear, Cold Night By William Kevin Stoos | December 24, 2025

For Christmas was, is, and always will be, a clear cold, night: So, at midnight, each Christmas from now until the end, I will step out into the clear, cold night

Immanuel: The Forever Cure for Loneliness By Joseph J. Bucci | December 15, 2025

The sovereign holy God of Creation has made a forever path into His Presence, apart from our own efforts and futility; down through our isolation and loneliness – and His name shall be called “Immanuel”;

Captivated By Art, Illustrated With Music By Dr. Bruce Smith | December 13, 2025

Survival in Tough Times

The Myth of Hedge Balls By William Kevin Stoos | November 11, 2025

Legends die hard, and this one is no different. But I have learned a valuable lesson from this experience. This year I am placing several hedge balls outside my house--to draw these little critters out. After all, even crickets need homes

All Of Our Days By Dr. Bruce Smith | November 8, 2025

Walter Huston - September Song (1945)

Bittersweet Woods By William Kevin Stoos | October 25, 2025

Here in South Dakota the vine remains inextricably entwined in the memories of my childhood—bittersweet memories, rekindled in these bittersweet woods

Week of Change By Dr. Bruce Smith | October 21, 2025

Survival in Tough Times: October delights in so many ways. This week there was change in the air;

We Are in The Redemption Business By Joseph J. Bucci | October 19, 2025

Shouldn’t those of us who have experienced redemption through Jesus also consider offering redemption to those close to us who have a history of failure?

October in Gold By Dr. Bruce Smith | October 19, 2025

Survival in Tough Times: On many of these days I have gone back in my memory to sit on the firm seat on a yellow school bus on a golden October day, and always by the window, partway back;

Give Us This Day Our Peaceful Morning By Dr. Bruce Smith | October 7, 2025

Survival in Tough Times: It’s good to start the day with a peaceful morning cup and a quick march around a quiet little burg in the Heartland;

The Smitty Plan For Easy and Abundant Points By Dr. Bruce Smith | September 12, 2025

My wish for you, dear reader, in this golden autumn is that love will grow for you, too;

Suddenly Old By Dr. Bruce Smith | September 8, 2025

Survival in Tough Times: I may be an official Old Guy, but I can still get a job about anywhere, I can make change, and I know things;

Give Us This Day That Comforting Industrial Hum By Dr. Bruce Smith | August 19, 2025

Survival in Tough Times: When the power goes out we may urgently murmur ‘restore to us this day that comforting industrial hum.’

A Trickster For Our Time By Dr. Bruce Smith | August 11, 2025

He’s our alter ego, our connected big-city friend, our defender. He’s our trickster, our Bugs Bunny

Our incredible Heartland is still there and it’s still beautiful By Dr. Bruce Smith | August 3, 2025

Report From the Heartland Part II

Eighteen Hours of Greyhound Travel Across the Heartland By Dr. Bruce Smith | August 1, 2025

Report From the Heartland June 2025 Part I

True Freedom By Joseph J. Bucci | July 6, 2025

But true freedom only resides in those who are not content with the current world, but willing to give up everything and cling only to Jesus. When you do that, you will realize true freedom

If Christianity Recedes, What of Human Dignity? By F. Andrew Wolf, Jr. | June 29, 2025

We must not permit Christianity (and therefore God) to recede from the critical role it plays in society and with it the demise of our dignity, our rights and our freedom

The Heavy Rains of My Childhood By Dr. Ileana Johnson Paugh | June 28, 2025

When I got tired, I sat quietly in a rickety chair and watched the drumming rainfall turn every plant into a beautiful, lush green and the ground into a muddy brown smelling like earthworms

You Have the Power to Change Your World By Joseph J. Bucci | June 23, 2025

We will trust that our power was not kept to ourselves, and that we used what we had with all of our passion and influence to make a difference and change our world!