November 2011

Just hearing the song “Home for the Holidays” conjures up images ranging from “Dixie’s sunny shore” to “Pennsylvania and some homemade pumpkin pie” – except, perhaps, for the hosts with the home. My own in-laws realized this a generation ago and started a grand, new holiday tradition when our two…

At the grocery store I overheard snippets of a couple’s conversation. “Are you saying we always buy organic no matter what?” the man asked. “Yes, always,” the woman replied, examining a head of broccoli. Their Nascar-inspired shopping cart carried two young passengers. “But look how much cheaper…” Yes, organic is…

The middle school I used to teach at distributed “Grover Gold” to students whenever they helped out by running an errand for a teacher, for example, or cleaning up without being asked. This pretend money could then be redeemed in the school store for assorted items. However, at the end…

Family traditions, whether predictable or peculiar, have the power to make memories. Kids set their watches (or their calendars) by them and wear them like badges of pride. Try neglecting a family tradition. Protests will ensue: “Where’s the birthday cake hat? I have to wear it when you sing to…

Wouldn't You Like to Know? Every once in a while, we’ll find a local Richmonder we’d all like to know a bit more about. Same questions each time, from the Prying Publisher, and the answers are just for you. This month, we caught up with David Fisk, executive director of…

The English romantic poet John Keats described autumn as the “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.” Keats was twenty-four when he wrote “To Autumn,” and then, adhering to the romantic code of conduct, promptly died of consumption. Which explains a lot about the poem’s tranquil tone: Clearly, Keats’ relationship with…

Several years back, I caught The Story of Stuff online and vowed to make some changes. Have you seen it? It’s a twenty-minute film that basically reams out the “materials economy” of which we’re all a living, breathing, hyper-consuming part. Tracking consumer goods through the linear system of extraction, production,…

Before we met homeless teen Big Mike of The Blind Side, and discovered that the future NFL standout “never had his own bed,” there were already hundreds of children in and around Richmond who had never slept in a bed. This resonated with Jenny Jones of Midlothian six years ago.…

Q: Sadly, my husband and i have decided to separate. We are struggling with how to tell our 9- and 12-year-old kids about this change. Advice? A: Separation and divorce are major stressors. We can try to ease the pain by giving them some important information. If at all possible,…

1. Quick Wild Rice Combine 1 cup golden raisins and ½ cup sherry in a small microwave-safe glass dish; microwave on high until the mixture boils. Prepare three 8.5-oz packages of ready-to-serve wild and brown rice (Uncle Ben’s) according to package directions. Put in large bowl along with the raisins…

The fun of this project is ultimately rooted in its flexibility. Just gathering up supplies from around the house or backyard will be a unique adventure for the kids.   What you need: • Items in nature or recycled materials: leaves, rocks, grass, bottle caps, pieces of wood and bark…

About a year ago, a friend came over to our house with an iPad, and our daughter found a new obsession. She oohed and aahed at the African safari photos; she furrowed her brow in concentration while playing the ABC game; and she cackled at the little purple kitty that…

Food allergies, which can lead to serious or even life-threatening allergic reactions, develop when the body’s immune system has an abnormal reaction to one or more proteins in a food. In general, the incidence of food allergy has increased over the past decade. Peanut allergy, tree nut allergy, or both,…