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Last week I took my dog Josie for a hike along the Wisconsin River. It was a glorious day—45° and sunny. I started on an overlook where I watched the gentle current, a boat causing a churning wake, and appreciated…

This Thanksgiving, I’m especially grateful for the prospect of a vaccine so that, once again, we can be together with family and friends. I’m grateful to those individuals, gifted people from various backgrounds, who have come together, communicated and cooperated,…

Last year, my husband and I hosted 24 people for Thanksgiving. This time last year, I was writing shopping lists, figuring out where everyone would sleep, and cleaning the house in anticipation. This year’s Thanksgiving will include four people and…

Hurry up, Slowpoke was one of the first books I was able to read myself. Simon Mouse is a slowpoke who lags behind his mother and sister and winds up having a fantastic adventure on his own. It was the…

Have you ever thought about what you’d want to say to loved ones before you die? Would your last words show concern for how your family would fare, or might they include a light-hearted comment hoping to ease their grief?…

Feeling the stress of election week? Grab a fellow voter, and just for fun, play Presidential trivia. One person asks the first six questions. Then switch.1. Which president got a $20 fine for speeding on his horse-drawn carriage?Ulysses S. Grant.2.…

I park by the entrance to the woods, aware that it’s nearly dark. It had rained all day, and this was the first chance I’d gotten to take the dog for a walk. I try not to let the neighbor’s…

The birthday card arrived, yellowed with age and ragged on the edges. I hold it tenderly. My childhood friend, Sharon, and I have exchanged the same birthday card since 1979. We only sign our name and the month and year.…

Caw, caw, caw, I call, as I carry pieces of old bread out to my crows. Nearby neighbors must be shaking their heads. “Amy’s at it again.” But I don’t care. I not only like having feathered friends, I appreciate…

What is the secret to a long, happy life? Since I have a birthday this week and thought I could use that excuse to guilt my friends and family into doing my work for me, I polled a bunch of…