BEFORE more

Dear friends, I hope that you are well this day. This past month has been a difficult season for me. A routine surgery (hysterectomy) became something totally un-routine as complications ensued, which placed me in the hospital for several days. more

Once upon a time, during a moonlit night, an unsuspecting woman descended the steps of her backyard deck and stepped onto the stone patio. Her three rambunctious dogs raced past her, eager to hit the grass and sniff out the perfect place to pee before bedtime. more

It looks like the doom and gloom preachers are on their anti-wine crusade again, as I recently read several newspaper columns on the evils of wine – not alcohol, but wine. more

A cool day or two can have us thinking about autumn leaves and cups of hot chocolate. Sadly, the yellow leaves appearing on trees around us are due to extreme drought conditions rather than autumnal weather. Keep in mind that the past year of below-average rainfall will result in the loss of some trees and plants both in the short term and long term. more

I miss the writers. The Writers Guild of America went on strike in early May, and it has been a creative wasteland on television ever since. Most of the shows Tom and I used to watch won't be back with new episodes this fall. Lately, we've been flipping through over 100 channels, amazed that there are so many options yet so little we want to see. more

As the editor of two community newspapers, I spend a lot of my time sitting behind a desk sifting through hundreds of emails, editing reporters’ articles, working with our design team on the paper each night, and talking with other departments to make sure we’re all on the same page. But now and then, I find opportunities to make a community appearance. more

A friend and I were talking over the holiday weekend. She and I like to hold one another accountable for staying positive, focusing on joy and enjoying every small thing around us. It works out well because we both have a tendency to dwell on the small stuff. This exercise keeps us upbeat and less dramatic. We both enjoy it. more

I feel that my search for affordable wines in this time of inflation has caused me to overlook the premium wines, those wines with a higher-than-average selling price. more

We had hoped to take a road trip this fall, but that isn’t going to pan out, so on a whim, Max and I said, “Let’s go to Niagara Falls, Maine and PEI!” Sometimes, serendipity is best, and so with little fanfare – or planning – we just got in the car and went. more

I had an interaction at a carpet store here recently (not a local one) that I think is worthy of note, just for grins if nothing else. more

He stands in a weedy clearing in the woods, in front of an empty deer stand. His dogs loll and pant on the ground next to him. His T-shirt is drenched in sweat. His hair is unkempt. His singing is simple, even a bit clunky. more

My 5-year-old granddaughter experienced her first day of kindergarten on Monday. In the weeks leading up to that day, I watched my daughter patiently prepare her by walking her through the process step-by-step. more

I am still on the hunt for affordable wines; this time, it’s white wines. more

Galatians 5:22-23 "By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." more

Late summer can be a challenging time to garden. It is hot and humid, there is little rain, and yet every plant and weed seems to be going all out with fruit or flower. Gardens that started out neat and tidy may now have an overgrown jungle vibe. Tomatoes, cucumbers, and okra seem to need harvesting every other day and there is no such thing as too little zucchini. Deadheading never ends. The goal is to find a balance between work and pleasure in the garden. more

OK, let’s get it off our chests and let's kick the wine know-it-alls, experts, gurus, geeks and your nosey neighbor out of the way and openly and honestly talk about sweet wines. more

We joined the masses last week, attending “Barbenheimer,” the two movies that have made hundreds of millions of dollars in the past month. One of the two movies is an in-depth, interesting look at the man who created “The Bomb,” and the other is a fun-filled piece of pink cotton candy fluff with unexpected messages. more

As I write this, I’m listening to Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and reflecting on the distinctions he evoked for each time of year. I stop to do the math and marvel that those beloved violin concertos were written more than 300 years ago already. more

It’s no secret that attending the Missouri State Fair is a tradition for many, so it’s fitting that this year’s theme is “Where Traditions Grow.” more