All posts of flourish

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 […]
1 year ago

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 […]
1 year ago

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 […]
2 years ago

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% […]
2 years ago

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 […]
2 years ago

A time of reflection

Curated by: Kayla Thompson, Adult Services, Cape Girardeau Public Library November is always a time of reflection for me. Whether that be about myself, the past, or our nation’s history – I find toward the end of the year I begin to look back (I’m sure I am not the only one). Here are a […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Dr. Sheila Long

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published as “Faces of Southeast Missouri: Dr. Sheila Long” in the November 2023 issue of The Best Years. “Think outside the box.” It’s a phrase Dr. Sheila Long says she tells her students constantly, a phrase that embodies her own teaching methods and daily life. Long is an […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Rosemary Berry

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Cooked Cheese, by Rosemary Berry from Fruitland” in the October 2023 issue of The Best Years. Rosemary Berry says it’s been an “interesting life.” She was raised in Sedgewickville, Mo., but as the wife of an Air Force pilot, she lived all over the […]
2 years ago

Modern gothic tales for Halloween

Curated by: Kayla Thompson, Adult Services, Cape Girardeau Public Library Here are some modern gothic tales to give you the right amount of thrills and chills this Halloween season. Weyward by Emilia Hart: This story follows three strong women (Kate, Altha, and Violet) during three different time periods: 2019, 1619, and 1942. Each has their […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Pat Schaaf

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published as “Community Cookbook: Pat’s Pastries recreates nostalgic small-town bakery experience in the August 2023 issue of The Best Years. Pat Schaaf says when you make pastries from scratch, they will never be perfect. She says you could roll the dough out precisely, measure everything and use a […]
2 years ago