Excuse me, are you listening? 16-1

 Dear Readers,

 
The new year has literally started off with a bang.  I am not sure what is going on but I think that we all need to put our phones away, turn down the music and pay attention.

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Excuse me, are you listening? 15-25

 Dear Readers,

 
I am so happy that 2016 is coming to an end.  I have been looking through gardening books and collecting information for my 2017 garden.  I know it may not be everyone’s aspiration to grow their own food but I enjoy it.  Even if I do not complete all of my goals, I love creating lists and information about growing my own food.
 

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Excuse me, are you listening?

 

Dear Readers,

 
As the years go by, I am finding that I love to explore culture and religion.  I am willing to go a temple, church or mosque.  To me it is about respecting the celebrations and the meaning behind the rituals.  This year St. Stephens will commemorate 50 years of Kwanzaa.  I often wonder how many people have actually gone.  So I provided the press release we received below: 

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Excuse me, are you listening? 15-23

  Dear Readers,

 
Dealing with the death of a loved one during the holidays can be extremely difficult.  My friend, Karen Chicky Scott, passed away on April 9th, 2014.  Her memorial service was held at Sleepy Hollow State Park.
 

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Excuse me, are you listening?

  Dear Readers,

 
Ever since 9th grade, my daughter has gone on a college tour with other students from the Greater Lansing Area.  She is now in 10th grade and has become very accustomed to being in high school.  The older the children get, the more exhausting it becomes juggling the things they want to do with the things you want to do. 

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Excuse me, are you listening?

 Dear Readers,

 
I decided to take a walk recently and managed to walk two miles.  It was not on purpose.  It happened because it was a beautiful day.  There was so much to see and it was an emotional time.  I have been thinking about my father a lot lately and it has been interesting but surprisingly not so sad.  My father passed away in 2007 from complications from diabetes.

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Excuse me, are you listening?: Summer’s Bounty 15-18

  Dear Readers,

 
Be as encouraging as possible.  There may be people who think that you are faking because you choose not to be negative but why should you care?  To become a happier person, you must want it and be it.  While you may not be in a positive mood all the time, putting positive vibes into the universe may help someone else. 

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Excuse me, are you listening? 15-17

 Dear Readers,

 
Summer 2016 has been a roller coaster for me.  I think that my children’s schedules have my mind rattling.  Most think of summer as a time of rest, for me it is more hectic.  No beach filled week long vacations or the early morning sounds of the birds only to roll over and get the really good second go round of sleep in. 
 

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Excuse me, are you listening?

  Dear Readers,

 
Gardening is one of my favorite hobbies.  My mother had a garden at our home on Long Island.  It was one of her many projects after leaving the concrete and asphalt of Brooklyn, NY.
 
I actually disliked gardening as a child.  We just knew that weeding interfered with our play time.  It was also very difficult to have a garden due to the sandy soil.  I will never forget my mother going through the process of preparing the soil for planting.  It was a lot of work.

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Excuse me, are you listening?

  Dear Readers,

 

It is that time to talk about healthy living during the summer.    I have been seeing a lot of people at the pool or beach not using sunscreen. Please protect your family from the sun and heat.

Rina Risper, President & Publisher of The New Citizens Press

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