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The joy of summertime gardening

It’s summertime and the living is easy. The weather is tropical, and the sweat is flowing like lemonade into a glassful of frosty ice cubes. The corn is actively pollinating as of this writing, untold millions of plants making whoopie right out in the open where anyone can see them. This is the short-lived time of year when my entire world smells like fresh sweet corn. Not a bad thing if you ask me. Much has been made lately about the heat and humidity and how these things are amplified by so-called “corn sweat.” This is not to be confused with David Corenswet, the guy who ...

The clash between science and religion

All of us know things. Some things we saw, heard, touched, tasted, or smelled. Our senses inform us every day. Other things we were told. By a parent, a teacher, a friend, or something we read. We can’t experience everything ourselves. So, we take understanding from human beings who came before. Science grows from the many who have observed and studied. We all benefit from science to one degree or another, even if we don’t understand it. I sure don’t know the science behind air conditioning. But I’m glad to have it on a muggy July day. A series of smart people make that ...

Heavy rainfall: Does it signify worldwide climate change?

Last weekend the Marshall area experienced a deluge, a large amount of rain in a short time span. About 8 inches of rain fell late on Friday night. I slept right through it, didn’t even realize we had so much until I checked my rain gauge and noticed that it was filled past the six inch mark. I drove by Independence Park and saw that the pond was filled to capacity. I knew we had a flood. My next door neighbor told me about a friend who finished work in the late evening and tried to drive home on East Lyon St. The car got caught in water. It had to be towed to a shop and was ...

Enjoying some Duluth delights

The city of Duluth demands only the best. It wasn’t good enough for the town to be located on a Great Lake; it also insisted on being on the shores of the one named Superior. Striving for the best has enabled Duluth to hold their biennial Festival of Sail. My wife and I are enchanted by the romance and adventure of old-fashioned sailing ships, so we motored to Duluth to swash some buckle. The tall sailboats looked like prickly caterpillars when they were moored with their sails stowed. But when they were on the harbor under full sail, they were butterflies, floating gracefully and ...

Crazy Days: Annual tradition for Marshall area residents

Every year in late July on a Thursday Marshall gets a little crazy. The city hosts an annual Crazy Days celebration, a day filled with bargains at local businesses. It begins bright and early at 7 a.m. and continues until late afternoon. We had a good Crazy Days this year. The weather was perfect. It wasn’t raining. It wasn’t too hot. It was perfect for getting people out for shopping. Crazy Days warms my heart. It’s a day that gives business owners a connection with many shoppers. They’re right in the middle of the action. The owners talk to customers. They ring up ...

July is National Mental Health Awareness month

July 2025 marks the 16th annual National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, also known as BIPOC Mental Health Month. This observance was established in 2008 when congress officially recognized July in honor of author and health advocate Bebe Moore Cambell. Cambell (1950-2006) co-founded a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) chapter to support Black families affected by mental illness. Through storytelling and advocacy, she worked to break the silence and stigma surrounding mental health in communities of color. Her efforts led to the national designation of this month to ...