My partner and I recently visited Houston for the first time since we left Texas for Canada over two years ago. When we left, I was five months pregnant and we were riding in our car packed to the gills with a dog, two cats and a bunch of clothes, ceramic vases, crystal from our
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 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,
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? With the federal government running trillion-dollar annual deficits and spending a billion here and a billion there for various things, $2 billion might not sound like much money. However, $2
Well … we are three years into what we at OLV predicted would be a very business-friendly administration. Inasmuch as we had indicated that we felt President Trump would be a very volatile president, but could also bring about significant economic prosperity. The day Donald Trump was elected, on November 8, 2016, the S&P 500
Since 1839, when John Carter – a barber – walked down Saginaw Street, Black citizens have been an important and influential piece of Flint’s great history. They have changed the city for the better in the realms of education, commerce, health and Civil Rights, and continue to do so. They fought for much-deserved recognition and
As most of us were welcoming family and friends to town for the holiday season, on December 19, 2020, Congress strongly passed on a bi-partisan effort: the SECURE Act of 2019. SECURE stands for Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement. There have been some major changes here for people already in retirement and for
Every February 11, something incredible, even magical, happens. No, Valentine’s candy does not go on sale half-off. It’s something even better, if you can believe that. February 11 marks the beginning of “Random Acts of Kindness Week.” This is also the week of Valentine’s Day. Just so you don’t get this twisted, sending your girlfriend
The other day, I saw a Facebook post about pit bulls that said, “Warning: Do not leave your child unattended with a pit bull.” The post included a photo of one with a child’s drawings all over it! Now, I love dogs, but I was never a fan of the pit bull breed. When my
People say, “it’s the little things.” And, it always is, isn’t it? The small, day-to-day trifles of life end up making the biggest difference in your happiness, your comfort, your feelings of “home.” The things that you barely think about, the situations and items, places and systems that hardly register as part of your life
One day, you’re showing an interesting foreign film at an art museum. The very next day, you see that movie get nominated for the Best Picture Academy Award. This actually happened to me a few weeks back when a little bit of Seoul came to Flint. The movie was “Parasite,” a seriocomic, class-conscious, genre-bending thriller
What’s better than a homemade treat for your Valentine? Surprise your special person with gourmet herbal truffles. The trick is to infuse heavy cream with herbs. You can simply use cinnamon or vanilla or get fancy with matcha, rosemary, lavender or even mushroom powder! Ingredients 1 fresh rosemary sprig 8 oz. heavy cream or milk
