My last column: Thank you and goodbye
I can still remember a time when, at an academic banquet, a woman approached my table and asked, “Are you Alexis Bentz?” When I confirmed that I was, she exclaimed that she was an avid reader of the Beacon and a fan of my work. She told me that she hadn’t considered the generational gap before, and that my column had inspired her to view teenagers in a new light. The... READ MORE
We certainly are living in hairy times
We sit in our abodes. And sit. Junking on TV and too much food. Blowing through our entire collection of jigsaw puzzles. Calling old friends. Trying to stay one step ahead of the virus. But one force of nature continues, self-quarantine or not. Hair grows. online pharmacy glucophage for sale with best prices today in the USA Mine has. In spades. Yes, I know, at my age, ... READ MORE
Torpedo Factory founder’s first love: art
Marian Van Landingham has achieved many distinctions so far in her 83 years, including as a federal agency writer, speechwriter for a U.S. Congressman, and during a 24-year career as a delegate to the Virginia legislature. But the former Alexandria Art League president is perhaps best known as the founder of Alexandria’s Torpedo Factory Art Center. Oh, “and she is known for her... READ MORE
Books recall the history of World War II
The Bibliophile On May 8, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of V-E Day, marking the Allied victory in Europe and North Africa. These books shine a light on that theater of combat. World War II Map by Map, by DK and Smithsonian Institution, 299 pages, DK hardcover, 2019 After the United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt urged Americans listening to his... READ MORE
Find wilderness in the urban landscape
Eight years ago, Cory Cone and his wife, Nathalie, wandered into Mount Washington’s Clyburn Arboretum, where they were drawn to a collection of stuffed birds. Among them was an indigo bunting, a bird known for its vibrant azure hue. “I was completely amazed that a bird that beautiful could be seen in the city I lived in,” Cone said. He immediately began a quest to find a bunting... READ MORE
Train to become an environmental leader
Woody Merkel, 69, a lifelong resident of Woodstock, Maryland, says much of his early life was spent outdoors. Appreciation of nature, he said, is “part of my genes.” online pharmacy purchase cenforce without prescription with best prices today in the USA So, a decade ago, Merkel, a retired personnel manager in the Maryland state government, signed up for classes at the Howard... READ MORE
For teens and seniors in the dating game
Alexis Bentz is a senior at Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland. She has been writing this column encouraging intergenerational communication since middle school. On television or in cinema, romantic comedies are relatively formulaic: Two people meet, instantly hit it off, go through minor relationship drama that may involve pouring rain or an airport chase scene, and then... READ MORE
Why April showers bring May flowers: What science has recently taught us
Five hundred years ago, English poet Thomas Tusser published this now-famous couplet: “Swéete April showers/Doo spring Maie flowers.” As home gardeners, we recognize the importance of water for plant growth. But is April rain the sole reason that flowers bloom in spring? In the metro Richmond area, the average rainfall in the month of April is 3.2 inches. We know that water... READ MORE
Country singer, songwriter Karen Collins
Karen Collins loved singing along to records as a kid. Growing up a coal miner’s daughter in southwest Virginia, she struggled for years to get an instrument until her mom saved up enough S&H stamps to buy a guitar with Green Stamps. Decades later, she has recorded five albums and leads three bands, including her own Karen Collins and the Backroads Band. Now living in Takoma... READ MORE
African American stories in the spotlight
The Bibliophile D.C. Emancipation Day is celebrated on April 16, when, in 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the act that ended slavery in the District. These recent books reflect on different aspects of the black experience: Notes from a Young Black Chef: A Memoir, by Kwame Onwuachi with Joshua David Stein, 288 pages, Vintage paperback, 2020 Award-winning chef Kwame... READ MORE
