Gift Shopping
CultureWatch Books: The Hemlock Cup and Train Dreams
Bettany Hughes' The Hemlock Cup transcends a mere factual recounting of what we know about Socrates; the book makes the fifth century BC as accessible as possible to a modern reader. Train Dreams protagonist represents a tradition of American men in the as-yet-undeveloped great West who struggled through to their unnoticed deaths after surviving the first World War. more »
Ferida Wolff's Backyard: Many Mushrooms and Squash, a Fruit and a Vegetable?
Wild mushrooms can be dangerous to eat. Some have toxins that can cause digestive or respiratory problems that are uncomfortable, while others are downright life-threatening. But the right kind of mushroom is delicious. As to squash, botanically speaking, it is a fruit! Like a tomato, it has seeds, the telltale marking. Yet, in the culinary sense, the way we prepare and eat it, it is a vegetable. So it is both. And what does that mean? more »
Toys at Our House: Shopping for Visiting Children
We keep lots of toys for grandchildren, things that can be picked up and played with quickly, hopefully to desired conclusions. Some are absolutely classic, some new, but all engage fingers and eyes, puzzles to intrigue and keep a child or an adult absorbed. Here are some to be considered for the holidays. more »
Elaine Soloway's Caregiving Series: Grateful He's a Tightwad
When we wed, I tried to spoil him with a joint checking account, credit card, and a few doodads that I was happy to bestow on my penny-pinching husband. And while Tommy enjoyed these gifts, he never became infected with my loose-spending ways. I admit to new gratitude. True, no miracle cure awaits my husband, But his frugality, thus far, has kept us both from drowning. more »