Bluegrass
Opinion
I’ll buy that

I’ll buy that

Columnist John Moore grew up with a television set much like the 1969 RCA console pictured here, which was originally owned by movie star, Gene Autry, and now belongs to John’s friend, Scott Rice. Photo Scott Rice Maybe it was different when we only had three channels...

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All Y’all

All Y’all

Columnist John Moore grew up in Little River County, Arkansas. Where they still say, “y’all.” Courtesy John Moore According to Merriam-Webster, a colloquialism is “a local or regional dialect expression.” Another definition? Language that’s “unacceptably informal.”...

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Just peachy

Just peachy

Columnist John Moore recently pulled over to buy fruit from a roadside stand. It reminded him of home. Courtesy John Moore There’s a rhythm to the seasons that you can feel in your bones when you grow up in a place like southwest Arkansas. Long before supermarkets...

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A bit wordy

A bit wordy

Columnist John Moore doesn’t recall ever seeing gloves in a glove box. Courtesy John Moore English is a language full of leftovers. It’s like the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Filled with things we just can’t seem to toss out. The difference of course is that at...

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True Grits

True Grits

Columnist John Moore loves grits. Real grits, that is. Photo John Moore Folks who aren’t from the South invariably aren’t familiar with grits. When they come for a visit, they often twist their eyebrows into a John Belushi-type look after they spot them on their...

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Double time

Double time

Columnist John Moore is on a mission to save old timepieces. He needs your help. Photo: John Moore My friend runs a precious metals shop, selling mostly gold and silver. I was there to discuss those very things when a pocket watch caught my eye. An Elgin. My buddy...

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A lot on the line

A lot on the line

Columnist John Moore keeps an old rotary phone around. Just in case. Photo by John Moore There are many once-common aspects of the telephone that are now gone. Keep in mind that those born in the 1990s likely have never heard a dial tone, dialed a phone, or talked to...

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Clutching the past

Clutching the past

Columnist John Moore learned to drive on a stick shift. He still uses a clutch to operate his tractor. Courtesy John Moore One of the necessities of my youth is now one of your best bets to prevent vehicle theft: a stick shift. I watch a lot of YouTube, and...

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Polished

Polished

Columnist John Moore still shines his own shoes. As long as he can find the polish to buy. Courtesy John Moore In some cultures, people wash the feet of guests who arrive at their home. At my parents’ house, I didn’t wash the feet of guests, but I did offer to shine...

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