THE ABOVE PHOTO SHOWS a giant Sequoia sapling planted in 2023 on the front lawn of the Benzonia Public Library. Kudos to the patrons who support David Milarch’s Archangel Ancient Tree Archive through their donations and interest. The organization’s lifelong mission is to collect genetic material, or germplasm, from notable tree specimens around the world. Sequoias and Redwoods are among the top candidates for cloning these ancient giants, which have existed for thousands of

“Do not fear mistakes, there are none.” Miles Davis, musician THIS ABOVE STATEMENT RESONATES  with me, especially considering my lifelong passion for food preparation and the numerous challenges there are in developing great recipes. I have tried so many different recipes throughout my life. It all started when I was eleven. During my early days, I helped my mother a lot (from my point of view). She had me learn my way around the kitchen centered around our stovetop electric

FIVE DAYS OF SUNNY WEATHER   are in the forecast for our area as we enter early October. The blue skies and blue water are absolutely...

MID-SEPTEMBER MARKS THE BEGINNING  of my favorite time of the year. It is welcome and brings pleasure and reflections for me. The cooler...

IT WAS LATE NOVEMBER 1966 . Wet leaves were scattered on the ground, and it was already dark by 5:30. I was a senior in high school, and...

I HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ACHIEVED MY GOAL  of losing 25 pounds over the past year and two months. I just had my annual physical at my...

TO MY DELIGHT, I'VE DISCOVERED  the great flavor of chicken thighs this summer after a package of two skinless boneless breasts hit $10...

TRADITIONAL EIGHTEEN-HOLE GOLF COURSE LAYOUTS  are not the only option in today’s ever-expanding golf course developments. The NGF...

I’M TAKING A BREAK  from writing about garden flowers and have decided to write about a simple summer salad that has come into my focus...

MY BACK TO NATURE GARDEN  has come to a critical juncture here at the end of July. My issue is that it shows lots of green growth and...

FOR A GOOD TEN YEARS in the 1990s, my hobby at my gentleman’s farm in Leelanau County was growing and learning about ornamental grass. I...

BUTTERFLY WEED HAS BECOME POPULAR  in northern Michigan, especially in the last ten years, as we have come to learn about the critical...

MY FIRST EXPOSURE  to Lupines took place decades ago in northern New Hampshire while visiting my youngest sister. The flowers had...

MY BIRTHDAY WAS MONDAY, the day after Father’s Day . I combined both days for my celebration. Why not! I picked up a couple of plants...

I RECENTLY SELECTED  a large print (LP) novel from my library, Sam’s Letters to Jennifer,  under the James Patterson brand. I first read...

MY DAD RAISED DAHLIAS  in the backyard of his home in Bloomfield Village, Michigan. It became a fun hobby for him as he moved through his...

MY REFLECTIONS TODAY  are about the Detroit Tigers. Their six-week rally at the end of the 2024 season, along with their appearance in...

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND HAS ARRIVED.  I made my mom’s potato salad recipe and bought a package of Koegel hot dogs (thank you, Flint!). I’ll...

LOUIS L’AMOUR WRITES ABOUT BOXING - a subject featured throughout his over one hundred novels. If the stories are not about fighters in...

THIS PAST YEAR , I have been reintroduced to cottage cheese and not just virtually through social media. I use it in many recipes,...