Read these books for a dose of nostalgia
The Bibliophile One of the prerogatives of aging is looking back through rose-colored glasses at the world inhabited by our younger selves. These books will reinforce your perceptions that the good old days were just as great as you remember. Look: How a Highly Influential Magazine Helped Define Mid-Twentieth-Century America, by Andrew L. Yarrow, 384 pages, Potomac Books hardcover,... READ MORE
How to cope with loss and find new love
“Love is one of the most joyous things that anchors the human experience. That’s why it’s so hard to give it up.” Those are the opening sentences of Finding Love After Loss, a book published last fall about the challenges of widowhood that addresses how to cope, survive and maybe find love a second time around. According to the 2020 Census, there are 11.37 million widows and... READ MORE
The play’s still the thing for over 20 years
In this season of discontent, the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company offers solace in the beauty and drama of theater. From its modest beginnings 20 years ago, the company is now among the 15 largest Shakespeare theater companies in the country. Its repertoire has expanded beyond the Bard to feature more modern classics. In fact, its new season opened in February with the company premiere ... READ MORE
When, where and how to prune plants
Master Gardeners often get questions about how and when to prune correctly — and we also get questions about how to “fix” shrubs when pruning has gone wrong. The first piece of advice is to reduce the need for pruning by selecting the right plant for the right place, including the appropriate cultivar. For example, crape myrtles range from ‘Natchez,’ which grows 30 feet... READ MORE
Watch Bob Levey carbon date himself
By now, we graybeards should have stopped declaring that the good old days were always good. Our grandchildren are our reality check. “Oh, so you thought TV with rabbit ears was so great, Grandpa? Well, now we have 1,000 channels on cable.” “Oh, so you thought a cross-country train was a big deal, Grandma? Now we can make that trip in five hours.” As for rotary-dial... READ MORE
Teacher helps others with their memoirs
It’s difficult for anyone to put the hard truths of their life on paper. But Valley Haggard, a Richmond writer, teacher and mentor to many, seems to have found the formula. In her “Life in Ten Minutes” class sessions, Haggard teaches writers and non-writers how to share their innermost secrets — from their traumatic experiences to their greatest joys. “When you tell your... READ MORE
New insights about George Washington
The Bibliophile Our first president remains the focus of research by historians 290 years after his birth. These books by older authors shed light on fascinating aspects of his multifaceted life. First and Always: A New Portrait of George Washington, by Peter R. Henriques, 240 pages, University of Virginia Press hardcover, 2021 Historian Peter Henriques has spent a distinguished... READ MORE
Legendary music hall still going strong
An estimated three million or more fans have flocked to Alexandria’s Birchmere over the last 56 years to see and hear artists like Ray Charles and Joan Baez, bluegrass stars like Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, and lesser-known performers like Mousey Thompson and Shovels and Rope. The 30,000-square-foot club, housed in a former Kodak film developing plant, is featured in a new book, All ... READ MORE
A few overdue thank-yous to my docs
It was the end of yet another doctor’s appointment — routine, as it turned out, thank heavens. The doc pronounced me fit as a fiddle. I beamed. I purred. He gathered up his papers and prepared to leave. And then I said thank you. Thank you to a doctor who works more hours than any human should. Thank you to a doctor who has been by my side for more than 35 years. Thank you for... READ MORE
New and newsworthy plants for 2022
We can all agree that 2021 was a year for strange news, from British bakeries using illegal U.S. sprinkles for cake décor to the sky-high prices for NFT (non-fungible token) artwork such as the $69 million paid for a digital photo collage. In the midst of 24/7 broadcasting, however, you may have missed some of these unusual plant articles. Philodendron’s price peaks Philodendron is... READ MORE
Arts 2024
#Theatre #Artist #Books #Bob Levey #Independent Living #Art #Americana #Diner #Wheaton #Baltimore #Bibliophile
