On our cruise ship, the rugs in the elevators have the day of the week imprinted on them.  What a hoot!  Is it because there are so many seniors on board that the ship is like a floating …

In 1978 Mike and Marilyn Vincent of Mt. Pleasant welcomed their second-of-five Youth For Understanding students (Foreign Exchange Students).  This one from Finland.  Her name is Outi …

I know I've said this before, and one of my readers was quick to point it out, but “The Covenant of Water” is the best book I have ever read.  How do I know?  Well, I'll take …

On July 11 of this year it will be 60 years since Hans Trousil of West Burlington immigrated from Germany to the United States.  It was 1964, he was 11 years old and in the 6th grade.  He …

Drawing on her experience as an educator and motivational speaker, and her love of children, animals and the farm, Denise McCormick is about to announce the publication of her second children's book, …

I've heard it said that “All wealth comes from the soil.”  Sitting in my recliner in our living room (my favorite place in the house), looking through the picture window at the …

Saigon, now officially known as Ho Chi Minh City, has a metropolitan population of 12 million people, with six-to-seven million motor bikes, and few-and-far-between traffic lights.  You won't …

The year was 1984.  People were wondering if George Orwell's predictions for the year would come true; in basketball socks were up to the knees and shorts were nowhere near them; and Mt. …

Like master, like dog.  I have lipomas all over my body.  Especially on my forearms.  They're embarrassing.  I think I have them on my forearms because of all the knocks and …

Author's note: Colleen Armstrong from Burlington was a student in my Creative Writing class. She wrote the following powerful story about her struggle with cancer. With an old Betty Crocker cookbook …

Christmas has always been a happy time for me.  I'm sure it's because, as a child, our parents, mostly our mother, made sure it was happy.  Later in life, as an adult, I was surprised to …

When Ginnie's brother, John Harvey, of Jefferson City, Missouri was 31, he was driving home when he noticed there was an image on the left side of his vision.  When he turned his head, the image …