All posts of flourish

Long-Distance Friendships: Maintaining deep connections in adulthood 

By Jasmine Jones  There is a specific sound: a low hum, a soft ding, an echo of a ring that I now associate with my two best friends.  It is not the sound of metal spoons colliding in my dishwasher in my usually-quiet studio apartment; it is the sound of Facebook Messenger. A notification.  When […]

Artist Spotlight: Kate Cooper

Intro and interview by Erin Urhahn Kate Cooper is a local portrait artist attending Southeast Missouri State University who is inspired by people, nature and simplicity. With roots seven generations deep in Bloomfield, Mo., she’s learned from her family how to embrace the farming lifestyle and remain open-minded. She’s chosen to stay in this place […]

meet along the way: Ethel Priest

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Rosettes, by Ethel Priest from St. Paul Lutheran Church in Jackson” in the February 2024 issue of The Best Years. Cooking has and always will be a big part of Ethel Priest’s life. She says she makes most of her food from scratch, because […]

meet along the way: Donna Gales

By Diane Beck This story was first published as “Faces of Southeast Missouri: Donna Gales” in the January 2024 issue of The Best Years. Donna Gales earned a degree in floral design from the American Institute of Floral Design and went on to become head spokesperson for the American Floral Society (AFS), traveling around the […]

meet along the way: Sue Jones

This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Fruitcake Recipe, by Sue Jones from Jackson” in the December 2023 issue of The Best Years. By Jasmine Jones Sue Jones spent her childhood on a farm located off of Highway 72 in the Fruitland/Jackson area. Those years on the farm were full of wholesome adventures: Jones […]

Read about cake and eat it, too!

Curated by: Kayla Thompson, Cape Girardeau Public Library The holiday season is all about making memories with family and enjoying delicious cookies, candies and treats. Here are a few curated titles that bring together books and baking. The Cookbook Club by Beth Harbison: This fun fictional read follows three women as they tackle life’s changing […]

Oct. 14, 2023, 1 to 8 p.m. CT

We asked seven local photographers to take a photo of where they were or something happening in the moment on Oct. 14, 2023, between 1 to 8 p.m. Then, we asked them to share their photo with us, so we could see their unique views of this place and time. We love the diversity of […]

Presence in Sound: Zoe Willott shines light on women in audio industry

By Jasmine Jones Look at the statistics, and it’s clear: Women are extremely underrepresented in the music and audio industry. According to the “Women in the Mix Study,” women account for only 21.6% of musical artists, 12.6% of songwriters and 2.6% of producers in the industry, based on 2019 data. In the same study, 77% […]

Focus in the Moment: Self-defense with black belt Veronique Bayer

By Karey Schaitel When Veronique Bayer was 8 years old, she begged her parents to take her to the martial arts studio near their house. Her dad agreed to take her to taekwondo classes if she agreed not to quit until she received her black belt. “Eight-year-old me did not really understand what I was […]