Catharine Janzen was my mother-in-law. She was a giving woman who did not suffer fools gladly. Catharine heard Dan West talk about his idea for sustainable gifts to those in need. Dan West conceived of the idea of sending a pregnant animal...

I love rain. When I was a boy, you could hear the rain on the roof. I suppose that was because there was not a lot of insulation up there. While I was sleeping, snug in my bed, my father would be out checking the gullies and culverts under...

I am thinking about Pluto (Plu-Toe), the planet. When the 9th planet was discovered, it was such a big deal Walt Disney named a dog after it. Fast forward to my teaching days. As an elementary teacher, I taught science and of course I...

Ruth didn’t want a microwave for years. She said she could heat things on a gas stove faster than a microwave. She still can. Ruth believes in a big fire under things. But of course we eventually got a microwave and have worn several...

(As with the rant “Cafeteria Design” this is moot as lunches are now pre-packaged and shrink-wrapped at a central kitchen.) The movie Home Alone has a scene when Kevin is sitting in a chair eating ice cream covered with all...