Part of my position as an activity coordinator involves presenting programs. I love every aspect of this task because it taps into my creative side, piques my curiosity, and often involves reading and research. What fun! Last summer I noticed Jan putting away some flour sacks, and immediately ...

“I’m only spending $40 a month on coffee drinks now. I have my budget on a spreadsheet,” my older daughter and coffee lover commented. My daughter’s 2021 goal was to spend less money on coffee, so spending $10 a week was an improvement. Paying rent and other away-from-home expenses ...

Farewell, fellow gardener. After almost 30 years of sharing my gardening experience, expertise, and enthusiasm in columns for The Associated Press, I’ve decided to focus my time and energy in other directions. Thanks for joining me as, according to the seasons, I selected tomato varieties ...

We recently set up our Christmas tree in our living room. It is something that I look forward to each year. Placing cherished ornaments on the pine branches is a recipe for reflection and memories. Like many of you, we have a collection of ornaments that helps us recall the precious and ...

The holiday cookie swap is an evergreen tradition, a terrific way to share sweetness and celebrate community (and lighten our holiday baking loads!). The premise is simple: Each guest is tasked with bringing a few dozen home-baked cookies. At the party, everyone gets to sample and share, and ...

“I made your recipe, but mine doesn’t look anything like the photo,” the caller said. “I’m not sure what happened,” she added. After we talked a while, I figured out the rest of the story. She was making a muffin recipe, but she was missing a few ingredients in her cupboard. ...