I took my three-year-old grandson, Elijah, for his first trip to the used book store in Fenton the other day, introducing him to the joy of finding books to read. He was delighted with his finds, walking out with three children’s books, including one about Batman, his favorite super-hero. He also found one from the “Froggy” book series, which were my other grandson’s favorite books to read when he was little (Froggy Goes to School, Froggy Plays Soccer, Froggy Goes to Bed, etc.). I would read them to him over and over again.
The poem above is one of the most beloved and well-known haikus in all of Japan written by Matsuo Basho, a master of the artform. The Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry that reflects the relationship of nature and the Zen mind of the human condition. Haikus were created by Zen Buddhist monks and typically contain a total of 17 syllables shared between three lines of text. The English version of the Haiku systematically employs a 5-7-5 syllable line allocation. For example, the Haiku above has often been reworked in the 5-7-5 format to be:
The COVID-19 coronavirus spooked the markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost nearly 3,600 points during the last week in February, and had large swings the following week.
Los Angeles is one of my favorite places to go for a long weekend. Everything about a visit to L.A. sings the sweet song of vacation – the sunshine, the beach, the other tourists scrambling about taking pictures. It’s a strange place, but a beautiful one and the perfect place to make an escape.
“Marty, I’ve got to tell you I love the first season of ‘The Irishman,’” Chris Rock quipped from the Oscar-night stage last month. His comment was ostensibly aimed at director Martin Scorsese, who from the audience good-naturedly accepted the ribbing of his 3½-hour gangster epic.
If you are really lucky and have a friend who is a teacher, they may just ask you to read to their class this month.
My partner and I recently visited Houston for the first time since we left Texas for Canada over two years ago.
On the north coast of Northern Ireland, in the County Atrim, sits the Giant’s Causeway. This wonder of nature is built of almost 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the tops of which are reminiscent of a cobblestone path. Almost 83 miles north on the Scottish Isle of Staffa lies Fingal’s Cave, the opening of which has the same geological formation. The areas are so uniquely similar that it is easy to envision a bridge of basalt connecting one point to another. If a bridge existed, who could have created such an intricate piece of architecture? Giants, of course.
The arrival of spring means it’s time for greens! Traditionally, consuming spring greens helps move fats and toxins out of the body that build up over the winter. It’s a time to eat dandelions, which have greens that are rich in calcium, iron, potassium, manganese and many other trace minerals, as well as vitamins A, C and K. The nutrients in dandelion leaves strengthen and support the liver, a major organ of detoxification, providing benefits that help with sluggish digestion, seasonal and mold allergies, and poor nutrient absorption.
It is widely believed that an additional $2 billion per year is needed to fix Michigan’s roads. Why is there not yet a road-funding package?
