All Roads Lead Home by Kim McCully-Mobley

Send us Fan Mail It's funny how stories from the distant past become clearer as we grow older, wiser and more experienced. This week, the Aurora High School Class of 1979 lost another classmate--Jeff Thach. Fortunately, we were able to see him in the fall when he showed up for some of our 45th reunion activities. I never thought about that being the last time we would hug his neck. This week-...

Send us Fan Mail Today is Super Bowl Sunday. I've got my fingers crossed for those Chiefs! I have also been in quiet reverie all day...thinking about how far I've come in the last four years.  Four years ago today I came off a ventilator. I still remember going back and reading my son's posts on Facebook that February 9 was a GOOD DAY!!! He talked about how grateful he was for the l...

Send us Fan Mail This week's podcast includes an update on last week's quarterly Aurora GRO meeting and a tip of the hat to an Aurora graduate, Michael Parbury, who is coming home to open a restaurant in downtown Aurora. To say that I'm excited is a huge understatement. He has made his mark in the culinary world in Springfield and had the urge and the opportunity to come home to pur...

Send us Fan Mail We are magnificent creatures--when you think about it. We are hard-wired to rely on our gut instincts. We are created to survive. Our bodies and brains are often resilient and fragile at the same time. I seem to have a heightened sense of awareness these days about listening to my gut, heart, brain and body. I pay attention to what it is I think they are telling me that I need to...

Send us Fan Mail I grew up watching Andy Griffith. I still watch the reruns when I can today. It never gets old. During the pandemic, I freelanced a bit as a consult for a doctoral candidate on the east coast. My cohort, Max, was diving into the use of music on the popular 1960s era show and spoke about his own personal connections to the theme song. One of the things we discussed at that time was...

Send us Fan Mail A couple of weeks ago, a friend took me to show me a local treasure--full of history, nature and a few surprises. The Lakeside Forest Wilderness is nestled in the heart of Branson with over 140 acres of natural beauty and over five miles of walking trails. If you haven't seen it yet; put it on your list. You'll be glad you did!

Send us Fan Mail Every January gives us time to pause, reflect, change, grow and move forward with intention and purpose. Some folks I know are moving into the new year with heavy hearts due to illness, death, grief or pondering the unknown.  I would like to pay tribute to the losses and honor those lives with renewed strength, passion and hope for a better tomorrow as we honor those lives well-li...

Send us Fan Mail If you know me at all, you know I often march to the beat of a different drummer. Sometimes it doesn't look like marching at all, but that's another story. I like disco dancing, crazy socks, Zane Grey first editions, mud puddles, pretty rocks, hunting arrowheads, finding fossils and hanging out in cemeteries. I like reading obituaries, doing research and digging through...

Send us Fan Mail I love everything about Christmas. They have always been magical to me. I love thinking about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and the wonder of how Santa Claus can possibly make it down all those chimneys in just one night! The psychology and science behind my sense of place work supports holding onto nostalgia and recalling good memories of times past. Join me and a couple of fri...

Send us Fan Mail Earlier this month, a young and energetic man strolled into my classroom at my invitation. He is the new recreation center director---Anthony Finzo. He has been on the job about six months and is anxious for the new $12 million facility top open up after the first of the year. He was fun, honest, authentic and thought-provoking. I can't wait for him to come back and visit us...

Send us Fan Mail This week's podcast is a little long. Bear with me. I created an oral review of a recent article I wrote that was published in the Fall/Winter Edition of Ozarks Watch. It answers some questions about the Ozarks, its history, why it's so important and how the intricacies of the region are always/always/always calling me home. I reflect on a century of stories, landmarks a...

Send us Fan Mail Here's a little tribute to my Mama--Ina Faye McMorris Estes. She would have turned 100 years old today--November 27th, 2024. She has been gone a while, but her legacy of love, hope, faith and kindness remains behind today. I am kicking off my 100 Acts of Kindness Tour today in her memory. Please join me in doing the same over the course of the next few weeks. Happy Thanksgivi...

Send us Fan Mail Pie became a staple of American prosperity in the 1950s after Word War II. It has a unique and colorful history and has shown up in literature quite often. One of my favorite songs is "American Pie" by Don McLean. It is long and it is truly a classic. So, it seemed nothing short of prophetic that I attended a pie class last week in Arkansas. The fun part was eating the p...

Send us Fan Mail We celebrated our heritage, patriotism and people quite nicely on Saturday, November 9th, at the Aurora Houn' Dawg Alumni & Outreach Center. We dedicated our two most recent mural panels--that are perched on the north side of the Alumni Center resting proudly as folks drive by on Highway 39. The panels commemorate our community's roles in past wars and conflicts, as...

Send us Fan Mail https://cfozarks.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=10504 Click on that link. It will take you to the Hometown Partners Giving Circle Fund with the Community Foundation of the Ozarks. We are starting our second campaign at $100 a pop to give the power of grantmaking to the communities and citizens we serve. Together, we are powerful. Together, we can make the magic happen...

Send us Fan Mail We will be dedicating our two newest murals at the Aurora Houn' Dawg Alumni & Outreach Center on Saturday, November 9th. We have tricycle races, food trucks, live entertainment, booths and a silent auction on tap for the day. You won't want to miss it! Please plan to join us and be in the dedication photo at 2:45 p.m.  This was a community project with our rich histo...

Send us Fan Mail I love the changing of the seasons in the Ozarks. I love the hot sun in the summer and the snowflakes being caught on my tongue in the winter. I love snuggling under the covers and sticking my head out to drink some hot chocolate. I love the smell of grass in the springtime and the yellow daffodils that greet me on the way to work each morning as days begin to get a little bit lon...

Send us Fan Mail I took a few minutes to share my devotion with you today on my podcast. I think most everyone I know is dealing with something. A couple of verses popped up about turning things over to God today as I was praying and working on some journaling. It's easy to say and harder to do. We serve a loving God who wants to help us move mountains. Sometimes we have to climb them first....

Send us Fan Mail Coach Pat Woods and his 1999 brigade of Class 3 District 10 Champions will be inducted into the 2024 Aurora Houn' Dawg Hall of Fame Class next Friday, October 25th, at Kelley Field. Also included in the ceremonies will be Jane Baker and her cheerleaders, as well as local media legenda---Paul Donley, Mark McCully and Mike Edwards. Once A Houn' Dawg, Always A Houn' Da...

Send us Fan Mail Here's a little extra PODCAST POPUP for the week as my longtime pal, Ralph Lauffer, is celebrating a milestone of a birthday. He is a die-hard Houn' Dawg with a big heart. I am proud to call him my friend. Join me in wishing him continued success in everything he does.

Send us Fan Mail We have been celebrating Homecoming Week this week at Aurora High School. If you know me at all---you know that I love/love/love everything there is about being a Houn' Dawg. I hope I never outgrow it. Being a Houn' Dawg is a pretty cool thing to be.

Send us Fan Mail The 1970s had the best cars, the best hair and the best music. I just can't believe it's been 45 years since we graduated from Aurora High School. I close my eyes and it seems like yesterday that I was stomping through the halls in my overalls and dancing on Saturday nights in my favorite cowboy hat. Here's to my pals from 1979. I can't wait to see you again so...

Send us Fan Mail Here's my tribute to the Aurora High School Class of 1980, who gathered in Aurora earlier this month to welcome themselves to the land of Social Security. Here's another trip down memory lane for the kids from 1980. The years have flown by; but some things stay the same.

Send us Fan Mail Aurora Coach Pat Woods and his 1999 State Champs will be honored on October 25th at Kelley Field. They are the 2024 Class for the Aurora Houn' Dawg Hall of Fame.  I was able to spend part of an afternoon with Coach Woods a couple of weeks ago. I remain forever changed at the humility, strength and wisdom of this man--who is truly a local treasure. Please join me in congratula...

Send us Fan Mail As a storyteller, writer and longtime folklorist, I have been blessed to be asked to write and talk about this region called the Ozarks.  New audiences want to hear the stories. Old audiences want to know more.  Others are intrigued, but aren't sure why. The Ozarks. She is full of joy, gifts, mysteries and nuances that whisper my name in the wind. My soul is so anchored to th...