One of the issues that I’ve been focusing on as a small-town journalist is agriculture. Grand Island, in the past, was a farming community. In the nineteenth century, Lewis F. Allen, for whom Allentown in Buffalo is named, started an experimental farm on the southern tip of Grand Island, called Allenton Farms. He raised cattle […]

I have had the good fortune of belonging to an online crochet group for the past fifteen years. There is a wonderful “list mommy,” who organized the list of about 30 crocheters and who has kept it going since it began. We call her “Mommy Lois.” She keeps us together as a group and she

When I was in elementary school in the 1960s, the United States was experiencing a great deal of turbulence and division. Divisive issues included race, civil rights, and the Vietnam War. Segregation and systemic denials of civil rights to African-Americans were the law of the land in many states. The Ku Klux Klan, which was

The wedding feast at Cana was re-enacted at Saint Martin in the Fields church in Grand Island. According to the story, which is in the Gospel of Saint John (chapter two, verse one), a couple got married and friends and family spent an entire week celebrating. Unfortunately, they ran out of wine well before the

It’s time to post an update of the 366-day photography project. I am excited to report that I have managed to take at least one photograph per day since I started the project on September 1st. And, amazingly enough, I’ve taken photographs of things other than my food and I have not taken any photographs

Today, I had the opportunity to visit the old Erie County Hall for a meeting of the county legislature’s Energy and Environment Committee. I went to the meeting with a group of farmers from Grand Island. These farmers had applied to be included in an agricultural district. If the farmers are included in the agricultural

On a cold winter day, what is more welcome than some delicious soup? It is warm comfort food that brings happiness on even the darkest and dreariest of winter days. A number of years ago, I found a recipe for Middle Eastern Lentil Soup. It is a good soup for anyone to try, including vegetarians

cold water crackles where the bushes hit the creek the magic of ice Swimmers go indoorsBoats have been stored somewhere elsewinter dormancy The snow piles upwhite and fluffy but so coldneeding some color On a quiet street,the snow serves as a blanket.hibernation time. Snow on tree branchesglitters in the cold sunlightmagic of winter bare tree

About the 366-day photography project: On August 1st, 2015, I began a 366-day photography project. The goal that I had set for myself was to take at least one photograph a day for 366 days, which would take into account the fact that 2016 is a leap year. I am now in the sixth month of

Food is photogenic. It is colorful and comes in variety of shapes and sizes. Above is a giant strawberry that makes a quarter look like a miniature.  This is one of the pineapple brownies that I baked. The pineapple is in the center of the brownie. It is kind of a little surprise for the