All posts of flourish

meet along the way: Gracie Aguirre

By Jasmine Jones This story was first published in the September 2023 issue of The Best Years. Gracie Aguirre grew up in Durango, Mexico, where she says everyone knew everyone. As a child, Aguirre enjoyed “rolling all over town” on her bicycle and playing volleyball, but she spent most of her after-school hours working at […]
2 years ago

September reading recommendations

Curated by: Kayla Thompson, Adult Services, Cape Girardeau Public Library Where has the year gone? Here we are in September already. Looking back at some of the recommendations I have done so far, it seems that I haven’t done much in the way of nonfiction. So, to try and make up for it, here are […]
2 years ago

Parents and Kids: Let’s Make Something Together

It’s fun to spend time with your little person, and they love receiving your attention, too. Here’s a fun activity you can do with the child(ren) in your life to cultivate conversation, critical thinking, movement, artistry and imagination.  Found Object Wreath Materials needed:  Paper plate Scissors Hot glue sticks Hot glue gun Yarn Found objects […]
2 years ago

Visual Telephone: Three photographers, one project.

This is a game of photography telephone, and here’s how it works: flourish photographer Aaron Eisenhauer took a photo and passed it along to photographer Kelly Downes. Then, Kelly took a photo that related to Aaron’s photo in some way, either in subject matter or in a formal element such as composition, style, color, etc., […]
2 years ago

Hand-me-downs: A lineage of women in my wardrobe

By Jasmine Jones Clothing is made up of lines: Threads weave into fabric. Pieces connect by stitches. Hems tidy the ends, neatly bordering wrists and ankles. Our wardrobes are piles and rows and drawers full of lines. In certain items — the hand-me-downs — another form of line exists: that of our lineage. These items […]
2 years ago

Becoming a Caregiver: Transitioning into caring for aging parents

By Amanda Flinn When Tina Moore of Sikeston, Mo., was attending nursing school, she had no idea how useful her skills would be in caring for her aging mother, Alice Smith, and her mother-in-law, Alma Moore. While the women entered her home at different times — Smith for the last two and a half years […]
2 years ago

Vacation-themed reads

Curated by: Kayla Thompson, Adult Services, Cape Girardeau Public Library The month of August signals a lot of things, but mostly it reminds me of back-to-school fever. The feeling can be bittersweet, so here are a few vacation-themed reads to get the most out of that summer feeling vibe. One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle: […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Becky Brown

By Amanda Flinn This story was first published in the August 2023 issue of “The Best Years” as “Faces of Southeast Missouri: Becky Brown.” Becky Brown grew up on her family’s farm near Olive Branch, Ill. While the farm harvested wheat, corn and soybeans, her grandfather’s garden was her personal favorite. As he walked through […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Shirley K. Davis

This story was originally published as “The Pie Angel: Local woman blesses people with homemade food and hospitality” in the May 2023 issue of The Best Years. It seems everyone who knows Shirley K. Davis has a story about the ways the “Pie Angel” has touched their life. For example, she cooked for disaster relief […]
2 years ago

meet along the way: Taffy McMullin

By Jasmine Jones This story was originally published as “Community Cookbook: Barbecue Brisket, by Taffy McMullin from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Cape Girardeau” in the May 2023 issue of The Best Years. Taffy McMullin grew up on a farm between Sikeston, Mo., and Dexter, Mo., with her mother, father and 14 […]
2 years ago