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No one falls in love with an abuser, said Mary Travers Murphy. People who become victims of domestic violence “are swept off their feet by a funny, loving angel.” From left: Mary Travers Murphy, executive director of the Family Justice Center, Father Paul Nogaro of St. Stephen Roman Catholic Church, and Connie Foster, domestic violence […]

Jewelry and other crafted items from an organization called SERRV International are on sale at Trinity United Methodist Church in Grand Island, N.Y. This is fair trade so more money goes to the craftspeople in third world countries, who design and make these products.

Medical marijuana (cannabis) can be beneficial to people with such conditions as cancer, HIV/AIDS, anorexia, migraines, tourette’s syndrome, glaucoma, dementia, and epilepsy, among others. Research on cannabis and on its medical benefits has been done in other countries. Raphael Mechoulam of Israel, who is seen as the guru of research, has identified the molecular structure

Yesterday, I went to Stella Niagara in Lewiston to paint a snow scene. Specifically, the lesson was to paint a bank of trees with at least one animal in front of the trees. Prior to class, I had drawn two foxes on the page. These animals were young and looked like they were nuzzling. The

Once upon a time, there was a little gnome who lived in a garden that, in season, was full of lush plants and bright colors. But, alas, when this story opens, winter has cast an icy grip over the land, and the lovely garden has gone dormant. The plants had been cut back, the trees

Today, I went to a workshop on oil paints at the Partners in Art studio in North Tonawanda. The workshop, which lasted for three hours, was taught by  Joan Horn, who is a co-founder of Partners in Art. Information presented in the class included paints, brushes, and painting surfaces, as well as the care of

On Wednesday, in between photo shoots, I asked Vienna Laurendi Haak to tell me about the autism support group that she runs in Grand Island, New York. This is what she told me about this group that provides community for families of kids with special needs. How and when did the autism support group get

Note: I am currently enrolled in an online photography master class that is being taught by professional portrait photographer Annie Liebovitz. She has had her work published in many different magazines, including Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and The New York Times. She has also shown in a number of galleries, including the National Portrait Gallery

On Saturday, January 27th, I went to a wellness fair that was organized by Grand Island’s small business group. It was a way to promote the businesses and the various service organizations in a fun atmosphere. I was told that the goal was to make this an annual event. The event was held at Key