Pack your cooler in layers. Start with the last day at the bottom of the cooler and place the first day on top. Packing in layers limits how often the cooler is opened. Prepare food ahead of time to save time and to avoid bringing extra cooking utensils. Add logs to your fire slowly. If… Continue reading.

Honor Flight Network is a non-profit organization of almost 140 “hubs” (or chapters) across the nation that flies veterans to Washington D.C., to visit memorials built to honor their service. The hubs rely on private and corporate donations and fundraisers to allow the veterans to fly at no charge. Four hubs operate in Indiana. They… Continue reading.

‘We can’t all be heroes,” humorist Will Rogers once observed. “Some of us have to stand on the curb and clap as they walk by.” That’s a sentiment the national Honor Flight Network is founded on: flying veterans to Washington, D.C., so they can visit the memorials honoring their service to the nation and be… Continue reading.

  • Alcohol and food products containing alcohol can cause vomiting, diarrhea, central nervous system problems, and more. • The leaves, fruit, seeds and bark of avocados contain Persin, which is harmful to dogs, birds and rodents. • Chocolate, coffee and caffeine all contain methylxanthine, which can cause vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures and more. Dark chocolate is the most… Continue reading.

Each May, Indiana’s electric cooperatives celebrate National Electrical Safety Month. While safety for our members is top priority year-round, Electrical Safety Month is a time to acknowledge the importance of safety and prevention. This year, we’re focusing on electrical safety in the home. Electricity is the cause of over 140,000 fires each year, resulting in more… Continue reading.

Beware. Spring can usher in more than April showers. Now through the summer months, thunderstorms can quickly roll in and tornadoes can touch down, often during the afternoon and evening hours, according to researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Severe Storms Laboratory. Follow these tips from NOAA and the American Red… Continue reading.

To commemorate National Lineman Appreciation Day on April 13, readers share their stories of what makes our linemen great.   The lineman I appreciate the most is my grandpa, Maurice (Bud) Hooven who started at Miami County REMC (now Miami-Cass REMC) in 1945. He shared stories with me about how they ran lines by hand… Continue reading.

After brewing a pot of coffee, don’t pitch the spent grounds. Did you know they have several uses once your cup of joe is ready? • Place a small amount on a dish cloth to scour away grease and grime from skillets and saucepans. It also works as an exfoliant for hands and can help… Continue reading.

Our reader-submitted recipes in our April 2015 issue (Tofu Scrambler Wrap and Chocolate Banana Coconut Cream Pie) embrace the vegan diet. The recipes we’ve featured provide options for those who simply want to cook a few meatless meals every now and then, or provide those living the vegan lifestyle a few new recipes to try out. Vegetarian vs. vegan Vegetarians… Continue reading.

“Old Ironsides” might be the nickname the USS Constitution was dubbed 200 years ago during the War of 1812. And though British cannonballs bounced off the ship’s hull, it’s no secret that its sides were never made of iron. Old Ironsides had — still has — oaken sides. The ship is built with massive white… Continue reading.

If you cut into a cake at a birthday party or other celebration and didn’t finish the whole thing, here’s a tip to keep it from drying out: Using toothpicks, secure a slice of bread to the exposed portion. The bread holds in the cake’s moisture.

Soak a sponge in water, then microwave for one minute. The moisture will loosen bits of food suck to the inside of the microwave and make it easier to wipe down for a quick cleaning. Be careful handling the hot sponge!