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The Undeniable Magic of Christmas Train Sets
It’s significant to me, as a lifelong fan of model railroading, that on the first Christmas morning I remember, there was an American Flyer train set on the living room floor. It was a present for my brother, but that didn’t matter. It was still the neatest thing I had ever seen, and my love Read more
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The Story Behind “Scandal at Maple Valley”
It began as many stories do, with nothing. I wasn’t planning to write an endless saga with characters no one has ever heard of. It just happened. Sheriff Pete Terkinberry, and all the other good folks from Maple Valley politely introduced themselves and took over. I was helping to clean out a small barn that Read more
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Scandal at Maple Valley – Episode 33: The Christmas Miracle
Christmas is such a wonderful time in Maple Valley. All the old recipes no one uses at any other time of the year come out of the recipe tins. Neighbors ask each other for spices they don’t have and don’t want to buy. Eggnog shows up on the menu at Ya’ll Sit Cafe. Shorty Cloverton’s Read more
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Building the Maple Valley Railroad: Tips and Insights
The Maple Valley Short Line is a work in progress. As I shared in “Mistakes I Made on my HO Scale Model Railroad,” model railroading is a great teaching tool because there is always something to learn. I suspect that any serious model railroader would say the same thing. This is the pencil drawing of Read more
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Things I Did Right on my HO Scale Model Railroad
The Maple Valley Short Line is a work in progress. As I shared in “Mistakes I Made on my HO Scale Model Railroad,” model railroading is a great teaching tool because there is always something to learn. I suspect that any serious model railroader would say the same thing. This is the pencil drawing of Read more
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The Many Faces of Maggie Mae
Maggie joined our family in 2011. Mary found a breeder in Indiana who offered mini-golden-doodles, and we were immediately hooked. We visited the puppies to meet their parents and the owner. There were a few little fluff balls left, but someone else had first pick between the remaining two females. I noticed one had a Read more
A Coffee State of Mind 