Columns

Sometime last winter, half a polycarbonate panel disappeared from the greenhouse. Note, the greenhouse is under my care, and has been since my husband and an employee of the Michigan State University Extension built the structure in April 2007. Considering the guys...

Coffee! Where's my coffee? It's a phrase often asked (yelled?) when people are seeking their java fix for the day. While I may not be quite that bad, I do look for my coffee shortly after beginning my mornings and it's almost always ready for consumption. What a...

On this bright, calm September 15, America's grief and loss of September 11, 2001, hovers over me. Born in a country with a Constitution devoted to individual liberty, and men and women who continue to sacrifice their lives to protect these freedoms, I consider the...

In 1882, the village and township decided to jointly construct a building to be used by both government agencies as their headquarters. They would jointly own, operate, and maintain the building. A special election was held on April 16, 1883 for the purpose of getting...

When a child, I made mud pies under the shade of chestnut and black walnut trees planted by my maternal grandfather, Floyd McCoy. On hot, summer days, the cold water from our homeplace's pump felt wonderful on my muddy hands. In my fourth year, my parents uprooted our...

Last Thursday we said goodbye to my dear mother. It was very emotional, even though we knew it was coming. She struggled so much to breathe toward the last, and then she gently exhaled and was gone. And in that moment, I realized what I had not noticed before. My...

My mother's intense concentration indicated not to disturb her while she held her icing knife. She smothered the middle and sides of her two-layer cake in either sweet buttercream, chocolate, caramel, or seafoam frosting. Then the top. Delicious perfection! With each...

Joseph Troia was born April 13, 1904 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy to Vincent (Vicenzo) Troia (1863-1955) and Rosa Bologna Troia (1870-1935). He had four brothers and a sister. At age 10 he took up the occupation of a barber and would earn his living as a barber for 40...

I printed Mapquest directions for my first visit to Phyllis’ home. She’d invited me and a mutual friend, Connie, for tea at 12:30 p.m. Although I gave myself ample time for taking wrong turns, I arrived late and embarrassed. Tardiness is no way to establish the...

“Let’s walk The Bridge,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said. “Are you kidding? I’m not walking five miles,” I said. Well, I lost out. Many, many moons ago, I had the experience of walking the Mackinac Bridge one Labor Day morning and it was something I still...