She Started It! The Woman Behind Father’s Day
A Devotion To Dad
Hi everyone! Do you want to meet the woman who started Father’s Day? Sure you do.
Scoop the Reporter here with news from The Shady Pines Gazette office.
Father’s Day is coming up this weekend on Sunday, June 21st so my editor, Zulah Talmadge, gave me a fun assignment. She asked me to find out who came up with the idea of giving fathers their own special day.
I did some research and guess what I found out? It was started by an American woman. I’ve added a couple of pictures of her. 
They’re in black and white ’cause she lived a long time ago. Her name was Sonora Smart Dodd. She was born in Sebastian County in Arkansas in 1892. Her mother, Ellen Victoria Cheek Smart, died when Sonora was only 16 years old. That’s just a little older than me!
Dodd’s father was a Civil War veteran named, William Smart. When Sonora’s mom died giving birth to a sixth child, that left William Smart a widower. From then on he would have to raise six children on his own at their home in Spokane, Washington. Can you imagine this single dad having to raise six children by himself way back then?
When Sonora Dodd married and had kids of her own, she realized what a tremendous job her father had done 
in raising her and her and her brothers.
Honoring Her Dad
One Sunday in 1909 Sonora was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon with her father at the Central Methodist Church where they lived. Sonora got really upset. The way she saw it, her dad had worked so hard to to raise all his kids, so why wasn’t there a day to honor fathers? She decided to do something about that.
Dodd wanted the celebration to be held on June 5, her father’s birthday. Unfortunately, putting that 
plan into place ran into some difficulties. So the first Father’s Day celebration was pushed back to Sunday, June 19, 1910.
President Woodrow Wilson got behind the idea of celebrating Father’s Day in 1913 and visited Spokane to join the 
celebration in 1916. President Calvin Coolidge chimed in with his support in 1924, as well.
In 1957, US Senator Margaret Chase Smith from Maine introduced a bill to create a national day writing: “Either we honour both our parents, mother and father, or let us stop honouring either one.” You see Senator Smith agreed with Sonora that to celebrate moms on a special day, but not dads, was just not right.
In 1966 President Lyndon Johnson, along with his wife and two daughters, signed a presidential proclamation declaring the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of the day in 1972.
Sonora Dodd died in 1978 at the age of 96. The mother-of-one was remembered as a children’s book author, sculptor, and a business owner. Her gravestone reads, ‘Founder of Father’s Day.’
To this day, you can visit her home in Spokane Washington.
There you have it. A grateful daughter way back in 1909 came up with the idea for Father’s Day. And, we’re still celebrating dads to this day.
What do you think of that?
all sorts of story tellin’ characters. These human and animals of all ages and backgrounds help to inspire us to be our best selves.
The calendar reads January 6th. You know what that means? It’s Sherlock Holmes’ birthday! He may be a crime fighting character out of books from a long time ago. But, through movies and television dramas people all over the world still follow this famous detective as he travels around London, England solving mysteries. In fact, Sherlock Holmes has a real fan living in Shady Pines Story Town.
“It’s dense as pea soup outside. Looks like I could be living in England. They have nothing but fog over there,” she thinks to herself.
Edna stares at the page. “Oh, golly. Oh, boy. This is great!” She claps her hands for joy. Edna is really excited. She’d forgotten what day it is. 
Her favorite detective of all time was born on Januray 6, 1861. Everyone knows how much Edna loves these stories. Why, one of her best friends just sent her a book for Christmas called, The Adventures of Sherlcok Holmes.
Boomerang cocks his head to one side and wags his bobbed tail while Halley rubs against Edna’s leg.
“Let me get your chew bone Boomer, and Halley I’ll get you some tuna. Then, I’ll tell you all about him and his famous partner, Dr. Watson. He was a retired army officer, don’t you know.”
He’s also known for that tweed hat he wears, the pipe he smokes and the magnifying glass he uses to look for clues.”
Edna clears her throat. “Hi honey. Are you having a good day?”
Oh, boy, the big day will be here soon. The countdown is on for Christmas and advent calendars are popping up everywhere. 
These are the calendars that kids love because they include a hidden treat or toy behind every day of the week from the first of December right up to Christmas Eve. Hi everyone, Zulah Talmadge with you for The Shady Pines Gazette News. Now that Thanksgiving is in our rear view mirror the holiday season is in full gear. 
It has been seen by Christians around the world as a way to get ready for the coming 
These days, most Advent Calendars have numbered paper doors or pockets that open to reveal an image, chocolate or other small object. Some of the folks here in Shady Pines Story Town will hide messages of kindness, caring and love behind those colorful doors.
For instance, a long time ago you might have seen a really old fashioned calendar that looks like your great, great, grandmother might have made it. 
These holiday calendars are fun. And just like the spiritual theme of the season, they offer anticipation, hope and joy of discovery.
I want you to know about two events that are happening at the same time. You really should be paying attention to both. 
Zulah Talmage with you from The Shady Pines Gazette news team. On the one hand, our nation is still waiting to hear the results of the 2020 presidential election. Unlike other elections, this one is taking a long time.
great? Here’s another one: “In a world where you can be anything, Be Kind.”
As this week, or weeks go along, Scoop and I will continue to cover all the twists and turns that this year’s presidential election will throw our way. There will probably be calls for states to hold re-counts of votes and who-knows-what else? 2020 has been an unusual year, and there’s no reason to expect a “normal” election, is there?
Fall is such a wonderful time of year in Shady Pines. Everywhere you look there’s an explosion of color. And I really like the cooler weather, don’t you? I’m Scoop the Cub Reporter for The Shady Pines Gazette.
One mom I met told said, “If your kids don’t explore the outdoors very often, this is a great way for them to discover nature. Seeing how pumpkins grow out of the ground and are attached to vines is very educational. It helps them understand that pumpkins don’t just show up at the grocery store automatically.”
Do you see the colors of that butterfly next to the pumpkin? Being out on the farm you can just be amazed at Mother Nature. I think this kind of stuff is really cool!
I met another mom who told me, “From the second we arrived, my children ran off with smiles, but quickly, they realized how much work it was to be in a field of pumpkins. Even running took work since the vines were everywhere, waiting to trip little, toddler-sized running feet.”
So a lot of kids don’t realize it takes hard work to be a farmer. One young girl I met was getting a little taste of that. Just trying to push a wheelbarrow with a big ‘ole pumpkin was something she hadn’t done 
before. The other thing she said was that she didn’t know pumpkins grew from tiny seeds. She also didn’t realize that they come in so many shapes, sizes and colors. “It’s kinda like people, isn’t it?” she asked.
time for me to take the title back! The other reason I need to pick up some pumpkins is to inspire my mom. Around Halloween she likes to scare up some pumpkin dishes for us. I’m talking about everything from pumpkin pies to pumpkin pancakes. Here are some recipes for you to try: 
Over on Dogwood Drive across from Copy Cat Lane, Edna Sanders is getting ready. She’s already put all the back and front porch furniture into the garage so they won’t blow away.
“Boom, are trying to help?
“There you are,” says Edna. “I knew you had to be around here somewhere.”
“He does have a way of calming people down, doesn’t he?”
Every day seems to bring new concerns about the Coronavirus. It’s no different in Shady Pines Story Town. Seven-year-old Ray Robinson looks at a flier he found on the school’s bulletin board.chool. It has a bunch of instructions about what to expect if the elementary school has to close down for awhile.
Meanwhile, Edna Sanders brought us 17 tips about the best foods to eat right now to help boost your immune system and keep sickness at bay. You can read all about that in her latest edition of, 
military and is deployed again. They aren’t sure where he is except he’s somewhere overseas. He’s been gone a long time already and they don’t know when he’ll be back. “Oh, my gosh,” says Ray, “what happens if he is quarantined overseas?”
In a city filled with celebrities, Kobe Bryant managed to stand out.
That’s why it was even more painful to learn that the daughter who loved playing basketball and being coached by her famous father, died alongside him on their way to a game.
Attach Action to the Resolutions
mixed together, taken a sip of water, and is settling in for a nap.
of help today.” Harold gives him a dog treat from one of the many wooden barrels near the cash register. “Ruff,” says Boomer. Harold laughs. “I didn’t forget. I’ve got the calendar right here to bring home to mom. You ready to go?” Boomer wags his bobbed tail.
Boomer groans. “Oh, brother.”
“Well,” says Edna, “I’m thinking agility classes for Boomer and walking on a leash classes for Halley. She still doesn’t have the hang of it yet.”
Harold agrees with his wife. “Yes, and Halley likes to show she can do things other cats can’t do. It gets people to notice her and she adores being the center of attention.”
Edna’s Kitchen cookbook I’m writing, and find ways to better show how much I appreciate my family, friends, and this wonderful community.”
“Hey, watch out!” says Harold.
“Hey, where do you want me to put these?” One of the volunteers helping to decorate carries an armload of ornament boxes. The fragile, colorful balls will decorate the Center’s Christmas tree later on. The trouble is, right now, he can barely see above the top box and shuffles right towards the tree. Before anyone can yell, “Look out,” the man bumps right into the tree. Swaying uncontrollably on its stand, rocking from one side to the other, the tree lurches to the right before toppling to the floor. The boxes fly across the room, crashing to the earth in an almost musical tinkling of breaking ornaments.
One of the smaller boys, clutching his pine cone, tugs on Harold’s tool belt. “I want to put mine 
up high,” he says, and soon the adults are lifting the smallest children up on their shoulders so they can tie their pine cones to the tallest branches. Old and young alike smile and help one another.
Hi. It’s me, Scoop the Cub Reporter, from The Shady Pines Gazette newspaper. Have you heard that another parent is going to jail because they cheated to get their kids into fancy colleges?
I just found out that there is an art project you have to see to believe. I’ll give you a hint. This is one doggone good assignment for me. I’m heading over to our local author, Mary Jane McKittrick’s, house right now. Seems Mary Jane has a friend with some artwork that might just unleash a whole new trend. Have you guessed what it is yet?
Here’s Mary Jane’s friend, Jan Maresh Saunders, with the artist herself – Polly the dog!
Thanksgiving is just days away! I’m Edna Sanders here in Shady Pines Story Town. Harold and I are excited
that members of our family we didn’t see last year will be visiting this week While we’re excited about that, it’s always a challenge to keep our kids 4-legged Boomerang and Halley’s Comet, busy during these holiday get togethers. I bet you face the same challenge with your two-legged children.
Instead of grocery shopping alone, why not take a little road trip to pick out the ingredients as a family? You can talk about all the traditional Thanksgiving foods on the way and let your kids pick out their own sweet potatoes, squash, pumpkin or other produce.
No need to buy expensive decorations to get those warm Thanksgiving vibes! Homemade crafts are a fun way to 
everyday 
appropriate tasks in the kitchen! Younger kids can fetch ingredients or wash them, and older kids can help with cutting, mixing and cooking. The more involved your kids are, the more excited they’ll be about contributing to the Thanksgiving feast.
Once the food’s cooking, it’s time to get the table ready:
time to do that. Even if it’s been a hard year, gratitude is an importnat lesson for children – of all ages!
Hey everyone. We’re about to celebrate a very important day for our nation, 
It’s important to know who we’re celebrating. So explaining who qulifies as a veteran helps kids understand the honorees behind the holiday. A veteran is a former member of the armed services or military. Branches of the military include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, and veterans may have served during times of war or peace.
might be willing to show them their service memorabilia, photos or stories or even wear their uniform to help your child better understand the concept of what it means to serve.
I don’t know about you, but most people I know confuse Veterans Day and
I found some information from the
who served honorably in the military — in wartime or peacetime.”
#1 Plan a Few Days Ahead
#4 Expose Them to Plenty of Daylight
By golly, fall is burstin’ out all over Shady Pines. You can feel it in the the cooler, crisper air. Not only that, bute the leaves on the trees are turning all sorts of red, orange and yellow.
So, I asked some folks what they do to get ready for this delicious activity. Here’s what I found out:
Okay. This is where I had to really hunt for advice since I’ve never picked an apple in my life. You’ll know that an apple is ripe when the stem of the apple is easily removed from the spur of the branch. You do this with a gentle twist-and-pull motion.
STORING
Now, here’s the kicker. Everyone I spoke to told me the beauty of apple picking really lies in tradition. The apple picking tradition is important because these are memories you share together. It inclues everything we’ve discussed. It’s about deciding where to go and whether you go to the same spot each year.
In the Sanders kitchen this morning, things are a bit hectic as usual. Harold and Edna are trying to have a conversation, while their Australian Shepherd dog, Boomerang, and their silver streak of a cat, Halley’s Comet race through the house.
“My goodness, dear. Those are two of your favorite things,” he says. “What are you going to do to mark this double fun day?”
Harold looks around the kitchen. “Edna, have you seen Boomer and Halley? It’s been a bit too quiet around here.”
get the recipe for Edna’s award-winning chocolate chip cookie recipe for yourself. Just click the link to download it.
first day of Autumn this year is Wednesday, September 22nd. 
On the Equinox the sun spends almost the same amount of time above and below the horizon. The sunrise and sunset are about 12 hours apart everywhere on Earth. The daylight hours are a little longer.
Fall ends on the Winter Solstice. Believe me, it can get cold here in Shady Pines!
So why do the leaves change color and drop from the trees? Lack of food and water is the answer. Look around downtown Shady Pines and you’ll see the change of color in the plants and flowers.
enough light from the sun needed to make food. The leaf lives off the stored food and starts to lose chlorophyll and its green color.
in handy. Kids can find so much to do even on those rainy, puddle-filled days.
to our family members, neighbors, and friends.
Hi, everyone. Zula Talmadge here from The Shady Pines Gazette news. Twenty years later, it ocurs to me there are kids today who may not know much about this historic event.
I know I’d never experienced an act of terrorism like that before. I was stunned as I watched with disbelief as news of the tragedy flickered on our TV screens. It seemed like a bad movie. It couldn’t be real.
September 11th is now known as
To the children in Shady Pines Story Town today, this date may only be a chapter in a history book. Our challenge as reportrs, parents or educators is to explain the true significance of this day in our nation’s history.
A remarkable reaction on 9-11 was the unity, compassion, and strength that flowed through our country. Strangers cried together, held hands, ran to help each other, stood in lines to donate blood, and rallied together. It was an inspiring bond we shared through our tears.
It is important while discussing the events of September 11th that you listen to any questions a child might ask. I know when I talk to kids about 9-11, I do my best to ease any fears or worries they have. One of our teachers has them draw a picture or write a letter. By doing that, kids express their thoughts and emotions after learning about this tragic yet courageous day.
If you live near any of the
Their job was much harder and more dangerous than the chores kids do today, like cleaning their room and taking out the trash.
demanded better pay, fewer hours, and safer working conditions.
Thousands of union workers participated in the 2018 Labor Day Parade. New York City’s biggest labor unions came flooded the Midtown Manhattan street as a reminder of the hard-fought rights won by the nation’s labor unions and, according to the prevalent chant of the day, that “New York City is a Union Town.”
Some people say the September date was chosen because it falls between the 4th of July and Thanksgiving.
I think we can all agree the South is a land of epic weather. 
Southern women don’t sweat—we “glisten.”
It’s not the heat—it’s the humidity.
It’s so hot the swimming pool is boiling.