Today is World AIDS Day. It’s a good day to remember those who have been lost to this dread disease and also a day to remember that hope is still alive. There is still no cure for people who are HIV positive, but, now, the condition can be managed, much as other chronic conditions, such […]

Today, I did my last gardening job for the year. My task for the morning was to plant bulbs. Usually, gardening work offers the opportunity for instant gratification. You dig weeds and prune shrubbery. Once you remove the refuse, you see results right away. There is no reason to wait. With bulb planting, it is

On Monday, November 28th, I went to Buffalo to hear about Standing Rock from Lakota spiritual leader Arvol Looking Horse. He is a 19th generation Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe, and has had that responsibility since he was twelve years old for the Lakota, Dakota, and North Dakota Nakota peoples. He is a

Last week, the book club at the Grand Island Memorial Library discussed The Secret Wisdom of the Earth, by Christopher Scotten. This is a first novel by the author, who has, in the past, worked as a carpenter, bouncer, kite flyer, amusement park ride operator, and CEO of a few technology companies. The main character

I love tattoos. I don’t have any tattoos, but I love them. Really. I think that a lot of people have the most gorgeous tattoos. I really admire the way that they use their bodies as canvases for creative works of art. Tattooing is nothing new. People have gotten tattoos since prehistoric times. It was

Today is a celebration of small business, called “Small Business Saturday.” People are encouraged to visit their local small businesses today. My friend Diane and I took a little adventure into the world of shopping, here in Grand Island, New York. First, we started with the smallest of all small businesses: the garage sale (the

This morning, I joined a bird watching expedition through Buckhorn Island State Park in Grand Island, New York. It was a cloudy, but not excessively cold, November day and was a good day for the bird watching experience. Since I’m not a big fan of battling crowds at the mall in the shopping frenzy called

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today, I am doing what soap operas do! This blog post is an “encore presentation.” I first posted this story, about the tragedy of Strawberry and Motorboat Islands, on January 25th, 2015. Restoration work was started last year and is scheduled to be completed next year. The islands, once thought to be lost

Approximately ten years ago, I started going to painting class at Stella Niagara Educational Park, in Lewiston, New York. The class meets twice a month from September until June. The instructor, Virginia Kelley, is a volunteer who loves art and who loves the work and the mission of the Sisters of Saint Francis of Penance

Just a few days before Thanksgiving seems like a good time to share readers’ comments. I am very grateful for everyone who reads my blog, and I love your comments, stories, and suggestions. Thank you so much. Here are some of the comments that you have shared with me. Thanksgiving food, part two: terrific and