Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Founded 1901

Royal Purple

Birds are bullies too

Birds are bullies too

Chris Hardie March 10, 2024

His name was Billy and he lived across the street from our family in the Milwaukee suburb of Hales Corners.   He was probably three years older than me – more like my brother’s age – but...

This tale stinks

This tale stinks

Chris Hardie March 3, 2024

I was outside at dawn recently getting some chores done when I was hit with one of the smells of the country – a malodorous whiff left by a mammal in the mephitidae family. It was the spray of a nearby...

Chris Hardie spotted a 1993 magazine in a clinic waiting room recently.

Just waiting around

Chris Hardie February 25, 2024

As hurried and busy as life seems these days, we still spend plenty of time waiting. Estimates are that we can spend an average of six months of our life waiting.   I thought about waiting recently...

Back Home by Chris Hardie

Explaining a Strange Winter

Chris Hardie February 18, 2024

A long, long time ago when I worked in newsrooms far, far away, I liked to tell aspiring journalists my definition of news: it’s what people are talking about.   It was justification and rationalization...

Stitching together the pieces of life

Stitching together the pieces of life

Chris Hardie February 11, 2024

One constant I’ve noticed in myself as I’ve grown older is that I’ve become more reflective. Perhaps that comes with age, but there are times when I see or hear something and it makes me physically...

Chris Hardies frozen face after taking care of a recent snowfall.

It’s snow fooling around

Chris Hardie February 4, 2024

As we settle into winter and the appearance of that four-letter word that is both cherished and hated, I’d like to take a moment to thank J.W. Elliot.   It was Elliot, hailing from Toronto,...

On the road to recovery

On the road to recovery

Chris Hardie, Contributor January 29, 2024

All journeys begin with a step. I thought about that as I ventured outside for the first time since my left hip was replaced eight days ago. Slowly, one foot in front of the other, I walked without...

It’s snow fooling around

It’s snow fooling around

Chris Hardie, Contributor January 21, 2024

As we settle into winter and the appearance of that four-letter word that is both cherished and hated, I’d like to take a moment to thank J.W. Elliot. It was Elliot, hailing from Toronto, Canada who...

Farewell, Cosby sweaters

Farewell, Cosby sweaters

Chris Hardie December 3, 2023

Regular and faithful readers of my meanderings will recall that my name does not come up with the mention of fashion icons. I dress seasonally with the notion that clothes serve a utilitarian purpose to...

Finishing the harvest

Finishing the harvest

Chris Hardie, Contributor November 19, 2023

The big combines of today make short work of combining corn, moving up and down the fields, harvesting several rows of stalks at a time. It’s a far cry from 50 years ago, when my father used a one-row...

A season of rain in one day

A season of rain in one day

Chris Hardie November 12, 2023

I knew the rainfall was heavy when I spotted overflowing creeks while driving home the night of Oct. 24. It was raining steadily as we headed north from La Crosse but nothing like the wall of water that...

Back Home by Chris Hardie

The world of shrinkflation

Chris Hardie, WNA October 29, 2023

Let’s set the record straight – I am not an economist – which the Bureau of Labor Statistics defines as “an expert who studies the relationship between a society’s resources and its production...

Load More Stories

Comments (0)

The Royal Purple encourages readers to voice their opinions via the online comments section. Comments may be monitored for appropriateness and viewer safety. If a comment is harassing, threatening or inappropriate in nature, it may be taken down with editor's discretion.
All Royal Purple Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest
Activate Search
Founded 1901
Back Home