Finally, the rains came and blooms followed. May in Central Missouri gardens is a time of abundance. Gardens come to life with the blousy blooms of peonies and the statuesque blooms of irises. The bloom size and the longevity of the peony and iris make them must-haves for any garden. They are good starter plants as they are both very hardy and bloom reliably when planted correctly. more

Sauvignon blanc wines are currently suffering the same fate that befell the merlot wines at the turn of the last century. more

Sleep is beautiful. But the physical act of sleeping isn’t. That’s why I roll my eyes during rom-com movies when the man wakes up early (yeah, right) to gaze adoringly at the woman he loves while she sleeps. more

I love the story of the woman at the well. If you’re not familiar with it, look in the fourth chapter of John’s gospel. more

Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12 and is one of the happiest of our national holidays. Thus, only the happiest of wine is the order of the day, but which one? more

It’s time again for every parent, teacher and student’s least favorite school year tradition: standardized testing. more

Welcome to the year of the bug. We’re just in time to witness two giant broods of cicadas rising from the ground like a horde of zombie bugs. How many zombie bugs? Definitely billions. But most likely trillions. There’s no official tree-to-tree cicada census, so it’s hard to be sure. more

Last month, the Sedalia Democrat announced its transition to a twice-weekly newspaper from its former schedule of Tuesday through Saturday publication. more

Those yellow-bellied dusty devils are at it again. They've launched their annual full-scale attack, and no amount of antihistamines can stop them. more

With the ever-increasing Hispanic presence in this country, Cinco de Mayo, the fifth of May, which is the Hispanic equivalent of the Fourth of July, has become a very popular holiday in the United States. more

Often in political discussions today, we hear that America is a Christian nation or that America needs to get back to Christianity. Both statements fall under the umbrella of Christian nationalism, which is a cultural framework that advocates for the fusion of a particular interpretation of Christianity and American civic life. more

From Chile comes the southern hemisphere's version of the oenological mighty handful: a cabernet sauvignon, a pinot noir, a sauvignon blanc and, for added color, a rosé, all of which have been organically grown and are also vegan. more

The irises are blooming in April, which has never happened at my place in more than 20 years. Everything is a couple of weeks early this year which means gardeners need to be very observant. If you trim back your spring-blooming shrubs, such as lilac and wiegela, those tasks will happen sooner than in years past. Other late spring and early summer tasks will also need to be adjusted. more

Chocolate chip cookies, the Slinky, Play-Doh, Post-It notes, and potato chips. The one thing they all have in common is this: They’re losers. more

The Jewish holiday of Passover begins at sundown on Monday, April 22 and ends at nightfall on Tuesday, April 30. It is a holiday that celebrates a time when, at the last of the 10 plagues that struck Egypt in Biblical times, the Angel of Death passed over the homes of the Israelites. more

I worked outside this past weekend, clearing last year’s plant debris from my native beds, and as I raked, I found myself dreaming of summer foods. more

As losses go, this isn't a big one. I shouldn't even care. Still, I'm sad about it. It's hard to accept that the best jeans in my closet – and possibly the world – are on their last threads. more

It’s that time of the year again. The time when all traces of winter begin to dissipate and the fresh new palette of spring begins to unfold. more

Did you know that Wednesday, April 17 is officially National Malbec Day? It is a day devoted to celebrating one of the most underrated red wines in the whole of Windom. more

I'm lucky that my first professional writing job was in a newsroom because it taught me something important: You don't need a perfect environment to get work done. You don't need silence, an organized room, a particular candle, or a big chunk of time. more