In the northern clime of Michigan, the ideal time to trim deciduous trees (that is, non-evergreens) is in their dormant state. That means winter. Unfortunately, this winter was colder than most and the snow was deeper. So whenever I considered trimming a few branches, it was either frigidly cold or there was more than a foot […]
Here are my favorite comedies. Sometimes the humor is subtle; other times I smile; and occasionally I laugh till there are tears in my eyes and my stomach hurts. How many of these would make your list?
The recent issue of Sojourners magazine cited some sobering facts about the state of the prison system in the United States: 7.4 million people were under the control of the US criminal justice system in 2007. I’m not exactly sure what is meant by “under control,” but that is over 2 percent of the population, […]
When people call me during the winter months, they often ask about the weather. These queries are usually about the snowfall, but sometimes, temperature. I suspect that these questioners are hoping that my winter weather is worse than theirs—and most of the time, it is. Living east of Lake Michigan, our weather is greatly influenced […]
Last fall, the USPS notified me that my once acceptably positioned mailbox was no longer acceptable. It needed to be moved closer to the road so that I could reliably receive mail during the snowy winter months. I determined that it was in my best interest to acquiesce to their “request” and reposition my mailbox […]
In the past, I have blogged about my efforts to stop unwanted newspapers and magazines from showing up uninvited in my mailbox. This task has been quite successful and I have found that most publishers make it easy to be removed from their mailing lists (though often one or two mailings are already being worked […]
What Changes Do You Plan to Make? Happy New Year! From my family to yours, I hope that you have a safe, healthy, and prosperous year. The new year is a time when many people make New Year’s resolutions. Common ones include losing weight, saving money, going back to school, finding a better job, improving or […]
(Back row: Laura & Chris, Dan & Kelli, Front Row: Candy & Peter) This year our Christmas celebrations began last Saturday with one side of the family, continued Christmas Eve with the other side, and concluded Christmas morning with our kids. By 10 a.m., both couples had departed for more family celebrations of their own—but […]
Remember to Celebrate Jesus’s Birthday As You Give and Receive Presents From my family to yours, we wish you a safe and happy Christmas as you celebrate Jesus’s birthday. As you spend this season with family and friends, may your celebrations be joyous and your time together be uplifting. May you receive the gifts given […]
Today officially marks the first day of winter, but to me it’s been “winter” for a month and a half—with about three more months to go! On my list of favorite seasons, winter comes in fourth. Currently, we are in the midst of another winter storm, with temperatures in the low single digits and wind chills […]