Photo by Val IhdeJohn Wills, right, greeted me and Jeff at the entrance of Murray’s Irish Pub & Grille in Menominee, May 6, 2023, the location of the Menominee High School Athletic Hall of Fame event. My friend, Sherry Mathieu - who looks on behind the counter, is a member of the HOF group. Her father-in-law and late mother-in-law, Dave and Marie Mathieu, were inducted at the event. I was surprised and pleased when Randy Demeuse showed up...
Members of Pamyua, an Alaskan band that brings Inuit music to the world, is seen on the stage at Marinette High School on Feb. 22, 2023, as they visit the area. The band spent six days here, holding workshops at schools in both Marinette and Menominee counties, before performing at a community concert Feb. 25 at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Marinette campus. Their World Fest residency visit was funded through Arts Midwest and local...
If there is one thing I have learned from life, it is that it is filled with joy and happiness, but often frought by sadness and stress. The key to balancing the good with the bad is to know you can never really control any of it - you must learn to accept and embrace or enjoy and celebrate, and then, move on. I am not immune to the bad, but I am blessed with the good. I have a wonderful husband - who shows me daily that he loves me even though...
So this is COVID. Feeling fine all day, then suddenly having a sore throat and a nagging little cough until bed. Then dreaming about numbers (I always count things in my dreams when I am sick) and waking up thinking I have plants growing inside my CPAP mask. That was my introduction to COVID, which was confirmed by one of the free at‐home tests I had sent to us months ago. The first thing I thought of was all the people I might have infected...
It’s such a little thing. Round and red - tart, but sweet. Tiny seeds that get stuck in your teeth. The perfect raspberry. Raspberries. The last 10 days have placed me in raspberry heaven and hell at the same time. The unrelenting heat, without much rain at all, has given me a bountiful crop of rich, red raspberries this year. I have been picking daily and I am adamant that they will not go to waste this year, or end up in freezer purgatory....
One year and a day ago, I woke up at 4 a.m. to ready myself for surgery. As I showered with the strange antibiotic soap I was required to use, I thought once again about the day ahead. I was apprehensive, but resigned. I needed to get this done. My husband and my son Chris drove me to the hospital less than an hour later, and Chris said goodbye in the parking ramp. This was May 19, 2021, and Aurora St. Luke’s Hospital in Milwaukee was in...
Cherishing my family and friends A decade ago, we opened the doors of our small greenhouse to the public. But first, we invited our family and friends to a “soft opening” where they could see what we had to offer as well as offer their own observations and support for our fledgling business. They did not disappoint. From the friends and family members who helped put up our greenhouse, to the ones that worked with us the days and nights...
Two years ago, almost to the day, I walked away from a three-decade-plus career as a journalist. It was a good decision. I had decided to retire during a leap year, and chose Feb. 29, 2020, as my official last day. It was partly an ironic choice and partly significant, as it blocked me from officially celebrating the anniversary for four-year increments. The thought of my retirement is there every day, as I awake and think of all the...
I have many memories of my grandparents, who were important people in my life and my development as a person. I remember with fondness the times we spent together and with sadness the days after they left us. I was fortunate. Because I was one of the eldest grandchildren on both sides of my family, I had a chance to know both my maternal and fraternal grandparents until I was a married woman and young mother. My children also got to know their...
It happens every January. While December is filled with gifts, decorations, rituals and events, there often isn’t much to be excited about after the holidays have ended. Unless you are a gardener. Seeds from Renee’s Garden are among my favorites. I love the artwork done for each of the packets. The seed catalogs start arriving in the mail in November, and by December, I have already poured through the paper versions as well as my online...