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Articles written by Jan Stauffer


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  • Complexity of a Snowflake

    JAN STAUFFER, For the Herald|Mar 24, 2022

    I believe that the complexity of a snowflake is very underrated. Only in our lives in late fall, winter, and early spring, these little white things are so simple yet so complicated. They fall into the category of precipitation, sometimes they’re small, and sometimes they’re fat; sometimes they’re powdery, and sometimes they’re wet. Regardless, they achieve what ordinary rain can’t: accumulation. Since we don’t live with it year round, it’s usually a nuisance when it first appears. It’s dangerous to drive through, it’s cold to walk through,...

  • The Misunderstood Shed

    JAN STAUFFER, For the Herald|Feb 17, 2022

    Shed: I believe the importance of a shed is greatly misunderstood. Typically made of wood or metal, the shed complements the larger building(s) on one’s property. Sheds are utilitarian in nature, as they are the home for garden tools, mowers, and even recreational items, like ATVs. I’ve even heard arguments that contained the line, “…Well you can sleep in the shed tonight…”. “What would life be like without a shed?” one may ask. I know that at my house, the lawnmower and the wheelbarrow would be taking up residence in my garage (which more rec...

  • The Value of the Backyard Bird Feeder

    JAN STAUFFER, For the Herald|Jan 27, 2022

    I believe the value of the ordinary backyard bird feeder is greatly misunderstood. Is it a refuge for birds in the dead of winter, starving for small morsels of food? Or is it just a waypoint in the daily life of a sparrow, as he/she flies hither and thither, occasionally perching and blessing us humans with a brief song? I don’t know, as I’m not an ornithologist. But I do work in an office. So, I wonder if the birds see it like a water cooler? Flying in, checking out what seeds are at the little window, filling their little gullets, and cha...

  • Do We Live In An 'Only Me' Society?

    JAN STAUFFER|Dec 31, 2020

    Do we really live in an “only me” society? This is a question that, thought about long enough, has the potential to shake someone to the core. And naturally, one’s first reaction to this would be, “Me? Of course not!” For decades, the signs were all pointing in the “only me” direction but I couldn’t put my finger on what it really was. “It” was resulting in decreased involvement in fraternal organizations, church congregations receding to the point where closure is the only option, usage of social media platforms (where a person can exercise th...

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