Newton Citizen

ORRIN MORRIS: Find blue-eyed grass at Panola Mountain State Park

The warmer weather of this week instills hope in me. Spring is coming and winter's grip of last weekend is lessening.Already, the heleborous is blooming, the crocus and the periwinkle are budding, and very soon the blood root and dandelion will spread forth their leaves.. Yes, spring is coming. May

ORRIN MORRIS: Moss verbena a metaphor for how to find righteousness with God, neighbors

The diversity of the wildflower kingdom is minor compared to the diversity of humanity. Every individual is unique although he or she dwells within a family, a community or a culture.

ORRIN MORRIS: Chickweed reminds us we 'have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God'

Most of the year my garden plot has been covered with chickweed. We have sprayed some with herbicides but not those close to the cool weather crops. Some chickweed we pulled up by hand.When spring comes, I will till the garden but all I will do is fold under the seeds that were on top and bring up from underground the seeds that were tilled under last fall. Soon these pesky plants will sprout, bloom and produce seeds. The cycle in the fight with chickweed continues.

Conyers Garden Club displays Christmas arrangement

ORRIN MORRIS: The unique and exotic pool sprite exists in our own front yard

Charles Darwin's observations have made a profound impact on modern thought. There are at least two issues his theory of evolution did not address: how, when or where life began and how to explain gravity.

ORRIN MORRIS: Oconee bell reminds us of the diversity of God's world

One of the most frequently repeated verses in the Bible was first recorded by King David when the Ark of the Covenant was finally brought to Jerusalem -- his song of praise in 1 Chronicles 16:7-36. In verse 34, we read "O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever."This very phrase is repeated five other times in the Psalms (106:1, 107:1, 118:1 and 29; and 136:1).

ORRIN MORRIS: Shepherd's needle can cover your pant leg before you know it

Sheep herders were the first mortals to hear the angelic announcement. Once I became old enough to learn what it meant to shepherd sheep, I wondered why they were chosen to first hear the good news. Theirs was a tedious and smelly job. Furthermore, sheep are among the lesser intelligent animals and require constant vigilance.

Residents show their holiday spirit with light displays

Citizen photographer Sue Ann Kuhn-Smith took these photos of houses in Rockdale and Newton counties decked out in lights for the holiday season. The home above is on Conyers Street in Newton County, and a rocking horse and drums, at right, adorn a yard at 1608 Colonial South Drive

ORRIN MORRIS: Christmas cactus prefer a tropical climate, but can bloom indoors during winter

The Christmas Season deserves a focus on some plants that actually bloom during this time of year. Thus, we are going to depart from the straight and narrow to examine the Christmas cactus. My mother had one for at least 30 years. As a child, I saw them in neighbors' homes during Christmas in Nebraska. As a teenager dating, I saw them in my girlfriends' homes around Christmas. As a pastor, I saw them in parishioners' homes.

ORRIN MORRIS: Lily-of-the-valley symbolizes purity, and is a treasured gift

In the middle of the 19th century, a gospel tune was written entitled "The Lily of the Valley." Based on Song of Solomon 2:1 it reads,"I have found a friend in Jesus,. He's everything to me,. He's the fairest of ten thousand to my soul;. The Lily of

ORRIN MORRIS: Harlequin glorybower is known by many other names, including tree-of-good-fortune

Jesus instructed His disciples in the Sermon on the Mount, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you"(Matt. 7:7). The wildflower for today required a lot of seeking to identify its name and origin.. One of our

Showcase event to help restore historic Conyers house

Members of First United Methodist Church in Conyers are hoping a trip down memory lane next month at the Parish House on Main Street will bring history to life for a local landmark

Conyers Garden Club: November Yard of the Month

Conyers Garden Club members from left, Joyce Andrews, Melinda Cowan and Susan Dodd stand at the edge of Dodd's newly installed pond at her home. Certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a provider of a wildlife habitat, Dodd gave a presentation on how to install water features in the

Cut-your-own Christmas tree farms gearing up for the season

Sugarland Tree Farm owner Jim Smith planted his first Christmas tree in 1983 and began selling them in 1988. He's watched generations of families walk the paths through his farm, searching for just the right tree. Though he's getting older and realizes that he won't be able to

ORRIN MORRIS: Primarily found in Texas, autumn sage grows well in Georgia

When I was a child, Thanksgiving was a celebration at the end of the harvest. The fields were filled with shocks of corn, and the snow fences were installed across the prairie landscape. The shelves in the cellar were filled with "canned goods" and bushel baskets were brimming with Irish

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