IT USUALLY STARTS late October or early November. I take out my trash, retrieve non-perishable grocery items stored in the trunk of my car, and drive my electric cart outside for a bit to enjoy the fresh air, wind, and trees.

Sponsored by Wood County Park District WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER about Joyce Kilmer? When I was a kid, we thought he was a she and “Trees” was just about the dorkiest thing we had ever read. Even so, all the boys had a crush on Miss Penny, our gorgeous fifth grade teacher, so we paid attention when she used “Trees” to introduce elements of poetry—rhyme scheme, meter, personification.

HAVE YOU MADE your New Year’s resolution yet? I’m trying for what seems to be a simple resolution by just living life more simply each day. I’ve been doing this from time to time over the years by cleaning out my closets, purging my book shelves, getting rid of clutter, and enjoying the feeling of accomplishment whenever I can pull this off.

GRIEF IS A NATURAL RESPONSE to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away. Often the pain of loss can feel overwhelming. You may experience all kinds of difficult and unexpected emotions, like shock or anger, disbelief, guilt, and profound sadness. The pain of grief can also disrupt your physical health, making it difficult to eat, sleep, or even think straight. These are normal reactions to loss, and the more significant the loss, the more intense your grief will be.

MANY OF US have an autoimmune disease. Our immune system protects us from disease and infection.

RESOLUTION SEASON IS HERE AGAIN, and many of us have begun evaluating our lives to decide which aspects need tweaking or overhauling. Some people may have a particular bad habit they’d like to kick, such as overeating or smoking. Others may wish to adopt a healthy habit, such as exercising more or spending more time with family. Still others may feel they have so many issues to overcome that nothing short of a complete lifestyle makeover will get the job done.

by Regina Patrick, RPSGT, RST

Your winter holiday vacation is perfectly planned. One thing you may not plan for is one of these two scenarios:

MANY OF US AREN’T ADDRESSING the realities of retirement planning. Here are some of the worst mistakes being made today: Underestimating life expectancy Twenty-five years ago, insurance companies estimated life expectancy at 83 years.