dave in the shack

Nursing homes have changed. Despite my good intentions of visiting old friends stacked away in what I pictured as sad institutions, I haven...

Hustling Hoppers There are eighteen 4-H clubs in LaSalle County. You have your Pouncing Panthers, South Prairie Pioneers, Pacesetters, Le...

As it turned out I didn’t judge biscuits at the 4-H Fair after all. I had a different assignment-sponge cake, pie crusts, Focaccia bread (b...

Some weeks fly by and some weeks crawl. My 4-H Fair judging packet came in the mail. I’m not sure how I became a 4-H Fair judge. They’ve...

“Hey Dave, would you mind if Ben looks at your corneas?” “No. Of course not.” I saw Ben as I was coming into the Ortiz Eye clinic. He wa...

I got out of the shack in a fairly big way this past week. I attended the celebration of fifty years of hard work by the Child Care Associa...

As much as I try to insulate myself here, withdraw after a career working with kids and families, the news sometimes takes my breath away. ...