Categories:  Books & Film Books Body:  I've got a great read for you today! Agricultural Treasures Guidebook, by renowned writer Cindy Ladage, is a deep look into 19 different agricultural treasures, mostly in the midwest (we ARE farm country, after all!). I grew up on a farm, and tractors, farming, and rural life were hallmarks of our town. Learning more about and celebrating our agricultural treasures is both interesting and important.  Locations in the book include the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum, the National Farm Toy Museum (and the Field of Dreams), t ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Traveling Body:  Hey, you aspiring jet-setter with champagne dreams on a beer budget! Let’s embark on a journey to plan your luxury getaway that’s so fabulous it’ll make your social media followers weep with envy. Grab your diamond-studded sunglasses, and let’s set sail into a sea of opulence (and a bit of cheeky fun). Ahoy, Fancy Pants! Welcome to Your Yacht in the Bahamas Picture this: a yacht charter in the Bahamas. Not the kind of boat that ferries grandma and her bingo buddies, but a floating palace where dolphins are your wake-up call, and the Wi-Fi ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Traveling I’m natively from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but for five years, my husband and I lived in southwest Michigan. My husband has family that live in the area, and Fernando and I were newly engaged when we first settled in the Kalamazoo area in 2009. I started attending Western Michigan University in 2011 for my master’s degree, and we got married that same year in the fall. As a graduate student, you’re limited with time off because of academic commitments, but we didn’t mind delaying our honeymoon at all.  I was exploring honeymoon locations and disco ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Stories   “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.” - Edith Wharton In the northern hemisphere, we’re in the time of winter’s approach. The air gets colder, the animals turn toward hibernation, and sunlight dwindles. The fourth quarter of the year is often filled with hustle and bustle, holidays and activities aplenty, and a shift from the longer days of life outside to those shorter ones often more indoors.  For many, it’s a difficult time of sensory overload, big emotions, and feelings of FOMO or funk ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Traveling Body:    Jason deCaires Taylor (read our articles about his global underwater art here, and explore ALL of the underwater museums here) has done it again! In 2006, Jason deCaires Taylor created The Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, which was the first of its kind in the world and the inception for all his subsequent projects. Last week, the park had a major upgrade and extention as they added a new series, which includes 27 works.  The Coral Carnival series draws inspiration from Grenada's vibrant annual carnival ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Stories Body:  Education is a dynamic field that constantly evolves to meet the changing needs of students. With the advent of technology and the growing importance of data-driven decision-making, educators have more tools at their disposal than ever before to enhance the learning experience. One such tool that has gained prominence in recent years is progress charts. These visual representations of a student's academic journey can be powerful tools for transforming the way students learn and educators teach. In this article, we will explore the concept of ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Traveling Body:  January 2024 turns out to be an excellent time to appreciate world-renowned artists and beautiful new productions as we continue the joys of the recent Holiday Season.    Jan 3 to 7  The Dr Phillips Center presents Disney’s Aladdin  Discover a whole new world at Disney’s ALADDIN -- the hit Broadway musical in a thrilling new production filled with beauty, magic, comedy and breathtaking spectacle -- a theatrical event where one lamp and three wishes change lives forever. “Fabulous” and “Extravagant,” says the New York Tim ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Stories 2023 has been an amazing year for gaming, with the release of two of some of the most favorite games of the decade, Baldur's Gate 3, and the long-anticipated sequel to Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. There have been many other beautiful games released this year, but these are getting by far the most praise—and for good reason.  Both take you to a charming yet daunting fantasy world, where even in the hardest of times, you wonder how could you be somewhere this grand? I think gaming was essential during lockdown. There’s ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Traveling Body:  Whether you're looking for a unique and artsy gift (and this is the PERFECT ONE) or for something for yourself to remind you of your favorite places, I have a GREAT recommendation for you!  We absolutely LOVE the creativity and art in the extraordinary hand-drawn products from Xplorer Maps.  Why are these maps so cool? They are pure storytelling through cartography - and they bring such warm feelings. Xplorer Maps was started by two brothers—a talented globe-trotting artist and an entrepreneurial Montana geography buff—who w ..read more

Categories:  Best Of Traveling Body:  This summer, my husband and I were visiting Michigan for a wedding. We decided to visit two places that our daughter has never been to that we thought she would absolutely love: Frankenmuth…and of course, Mackinac Island!  In the past, my husband and I had visited Frankenmuth in January, so being here in the summer was a nice treat. Frankenmuth is a German “Christmas Town,” and known as Michigan’s Little Bavaria. There are festivals and fun events year-round, so it’s definitely a place worth visiting!   People come from all ..read more