Columns

In 1954, my parents moved our family from our Kentucky homeplace of three generations to Detroit's Yacama Street. My sisters and I had never seen such crowded houses on both sides of a "block," as city people named where they lived. Every house had a number. Our...

In May 1916, General Squier was recalled by President Wilson with the purpose of correcting problems at the Aviation Section of the Signal Corp. The Aviation Section was plagued with multiple serious problems. Pilots were dying due to inadequate training and unsafe...

These monotonous March days, Cuddles, our tortoiseshell cat, spends a good deal of daylight contemplating springtime. When she's not napping on a chair beneath the kitchen or dining room table, she jumps up on her stool by the kitchen's sliding-glass door. I love how...

On January 14, Janis Weaver Duke came to the Almont Community Historical Society Museum and donated a number of items. Included in the items was a “Friendship Quilt” sewn in 1935, Earl Cochrane’s leather baby booties, Earl’s sister Florence’s hi-top shoes that...

Well, it took winter long enough to arrive, and let loose when she did. My local library cancelled their "Pride and Prejudice" book talk two consecutive Wednesday nights due to icy roads. Then, somehow, this past Wednesday night, I missed the discussion. "P&P," as...

I have a friend who is a bishop in Nigeria. Many times he has shared about the murder of members of the churches under his purview by antichristian terrorists. Yet, both he and his people exude an undeniable joy even though they could be snatched up and butchered at...

This past February 20, between snow and ice storms, a friend emailed, "My narcissus are popping up, the little stinkers!" Amused by her sentiment, and happy to oblige a truthful report, I replied, "And my daffies are popping up, the little stinkers!" For I keep a...

Nicholas “Nick” Adam Liblong was born July 23, 1915 in Almont, Lapeer, Michigan to Nicholas J. Liblong (1890-1969) and Emma Anna Kempf Liblong (1892-1980). He was a first generation American. Grandpa Nick, as I knew him, was born August 23, 1890 in Molin in the...

Everything holds a history, particularly delicious desserts. Take pie, for example, spelled “pye” in medieval England. Remember the nursery rhyme “Sing a Song of Sixpence”? Indeed, at one time in British culture, live birds flew from pies in surprise entertainment for...

This morning I handled a few domestic chores. These included checking the oil in the car as well as air pressure and giving the old Ford a wash. But I failed to use a list, so when I came inside to tackle some cyber chores, I saw an empty feeder hanging in the burning...