Columns

I grew up poor, that is, American poor. I fantasized about food at night–mashed potatoes, buttery dinner rolls, raspberry cheesecake. I would wake up and imagine a breakfast–strawberry waffles with whipped cream, cold orange juice–then, talk myself toward accepting what I knew was there–toast with peanut butter and usually, milk. My dad did not tolerate ungratefulness.  I couldn’t pay school fees like the dreaded $10 workbook fee and was harangued by the dogged collectors as I repeated that I forgot it. I couldn’t rent an instrument, so I didn’t play one, but singing lit my heart on fire. I couldn’t join sports, couldn’t buy unif...

Over the last four-plus years  I’ve given a lot of time thinking about emotions - joy, bliss, sorrow, anger and everything in-between. I’ve struggled. I’ve failed. I’ve crawled out of the rubble. I’ve found glimmers of sunlight. I’ve had moments of success, amidst the...

The Sun is approximately 93 million miles from the Earth, yet we receive its warmth from the photons it sends across the void of space. We depend on Sun’s energy to survive, but currently our planet is warming too much. Sunlight is a form of electromagnetic radiation. The Sun releases photons carryi...

I just finished a two week visit with the three grands. (And two with the three ‘aint bad.) Their house is undergoing a refinement and they needed a place to stay. (Me, the effervescent grammy, with hand in the air) “Oh, pick me, pick me!!” They needed a place to stay. I needed the...

“I did it!” Six letters total to form three very small, very simple words, to create one of the shortest sentences in history, but when is the last time you uttered them together in a sentence? “I did it.” I’m spending a couple weeks with my two-year-old grandson and I&...

What if there was something that 100 percent of us could benefit from having in our lives?  What if that something was not chocolate, coffee or wine? What sort of entity would this be? A radiant sunrise or the perfect vacation? Maybe your soul mate or a favorite pet? Finally finding your dream job...

We are living in serious times. And, while I don’t want to demean or diminish the seriousness of all the seriousness, I have one piece of advice that I hope can benefit us all.  Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is laugh. You read that right. In the midst of the dire, soberin...

Summer has finally arrived at the Polson Library, which means the return of our Annual Summer Reading Program. The “Color Our World” program runs from June 9 through Aug. 7. You can register yourself online at: https://northlakecolibrary.readsquared.com/ or in the ReadSquared app and record your ...

The White House just announced a sweeping plan that could ultimately cap U.S. drug prices at the lower levels seen in other developed countries.  Administration officials have good intentions. They’re trying to shake up the plainly unacceptable status quo, in which American “citizens pay ...

Despite record- high wind and solar generation, the U.S. renewable energy sector faces uncertainty. Tariffs and potential repeals of federal funding are creating roadblocks to the further buildout of energy projects. Wind, solar, and other renewable energy projects have helped revitalize rural communities...