May 2017

Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910), who wrote Battle Hymn of the Republic, was the first person to come up with the concept of a “mothers day.” In 1872, Howe, a writer, women’s rights activist, pacifist, and mother of six, suggested the concept of a “Mothers Peace Day.” The world had endured two disastrous wars: the Franco-Prussian war […]

Every year, fourth graders from three of Grand Island’s schools take a bus tour of Grand Island. The tour is organized by the Grand Island Historical Society. It is a highlight of the year for both the fourth graders and for the historical society. As a member of the historical society, I was able to

It was sunny. All day. It seemed like a miracle after a week of nonstop flooding. The creeks had overflowed their banks. I had never seen the water move so fast through the creeks. The ditches were so full of water that they looked like creeks. Front yards had suddenly turned into lakes. It seemed

The theme for week seventeen of the fifty-two week photography project is to find the beauty in the urban landscape.  Today, I am sharing images of Buffalo, New York. Buffalo is becoming famous for its architecture. There were a number of famous architects who created beauty in a city that has known both good times

On Thursday,May 4th, Sandy Starks, the interpretive program director at Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery, discussed “historical heroines of Western New York” at the monthly meeting of the Grand Island Historical Society. Sandy Starks Here are a few facts about Forest Lawn Cemetery. It was established in 1849. Its gate was built as a contribution to

Today I went to the Farmer Fest, sponsored by Grand Island Farmers, Inc. It was held at E.H. Enterprises, to celebrate the re-opening of this greenhouse business.  Despite the rainy weather, the farmer fest was well attended. It featured the beautiful greenhouse, full of hanging baskets and flowers, as well as a variety of vendors.

Today’s blog post is about tulips. They are in bloom and they are vibrant with bright colors. They are perennials and they grow from bulbs or from seeds. The majority of tulips grow from bulbs. Tulips are a native plant of Turkey and central Asia. In 1554, Ogier de Busbecq, ambassador of Ferdinand I, Holy

Today, Lee, Jean, and I went to eat at the Amherst Buffet. The restaurant is in a commercial area in Amherst, New York. The address is 1551 Niagara Falls Boulevard, in  Amherst, New York, in the Burlington Plaza. It is a place where you could shop ’til you drop. You could race from store to

Today, I am sharing comments from the two -part interview with Gretchen Beach. This is the story of a woman who became addicted to drugs in her early 20s. She talked very candidly about her life, about bad relationships, and about how she was able to overcome addiction and to find hope in her life.  Gretchen has

The theme for week number sixteen of the 52-week photography project is “leading lines.” This is considered to be a “storytelling” theme. “Leading lines” attract attention by literally leading your eye through a photograph. The line could be straight or somewhat curved but you will look at that line to guide you to an interesting