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In praise of radishes

Of all the root crops known to humankind — and I’m including rutabagas and cattail rhizomes here — my favorite is the humble radish. Radishes are a good source of vitamin C, minerals, and bad breath. But their benefits don’t end there. They don’t even begin there. Radishes also provide a fast and easy win for the home gardener. Under the right conditions, radish seeds can sprout in as little as a few days. A couple of weeks later you can be munching on the subterranean fruits of your labor. This quick reward is key if you’re trying to get a child interested in ...

More than just mom

Dear Annie: I am a 60-year-old divorced mom with three grown children in their 30s. I have spent most of my adult life putting my family first, especially after my marriage ended more than a decade ago. I raised my kids mostly on my own, worked full time and never really dated seriously again. Part of that was fear, and part of it was being too busy trying to hold everything together. Now, for the first time in years, I have developed a close friendship with a male co-worker who is about my age. We have worked together for a long time, and over time, that connection has grown into ...

Society to screen Jackie Robinson biopic ‘42’

NEW ULM – The next film in the New Ulm Film Society’s lineup of baseball movies is “42,” a true story about one the most important chapters in sports history. The screening begins at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 8, at the New Ulm Public Library. Released in 2013, “42” is a biopic about player Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Before 1947, Major League Baseball like most of the United States was segregated based on race. Only White players were allowed to play in the Major Leagues and African American players were regulated to play in the Negro ...

Living together, falling apart

Dear Annie: I feel like I’m in a toxic relationship with my roommate. We’re both older and used to be good friends until we got a place together. I quickly realized she has somewhat of a hoarding issue and a habit of starting projects she never finishes. I work two jobs and am gone from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. or later. Meanwhile, she collects unemployment. On several occasions, I’ll come home to find the front room torn apart -- boxes from the garage everywhere, or her closet contents sprawled across the floor. Sometimes she empties all the kitchen cupboards and drawers, then lies on ...

A developing psychopath

A fair question is, what are psychopaths, and where do they come from? Where can psychopaths be found? Truth be told, you don’t have to look very far. They can be found in every part of our society. They can be found in every career and job site. They can be found in the cream of society all the way down to prisons in jails. Every level of socioeconomic status has psychopaths in them. You cannot identify them simply by looking at them. They look like anyone else. A psychopath does not understand the feelings of other people. They cannot imagine how another person feels. ...

Worried from afar

Dear Annie: My sister and I were inseparable growing up. We talked every day, shared everything and supported each other through some tough times, including the death of our dad five years ago. But ever since she started dating her current boyfriend about a year ago, things have changed in a way I never expected. At first, I tried to be supportive. But over time, I started noticing how he talks down to her, how he seems to monitor her phone and how she slowly began pulling away from everyone, including me. She stopped coming to family dinners. She rarely returns calls. The sister who ...