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Breast Cancer Awareness

One in 7 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. It’s an illness that annually takes the lives of approximately 42,000 women and 500 men in the U.S. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and is a great time to remind people of the importance of testing and supporting vital research into …

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Don’t buy a tie!

Dad’s like to be surprised too, and Designs By Alfreda has just the Father’s Day gift that will bring smiles and relief that it’s not a tie! Fathers add so much to our lives; wisdom, affirmation, support, and most importantly love. Show dad that you think he’s sweet with a basket filled with satisfying, delicious, and fresh snacks. Let …

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Mother’s Day Musings

Mothers are as different as a cloud formation at sunset. Some are brilliant with the last rays of the day and others shrouded in shadows. Some are robust and opaque, while others are wispy and translucent. No matter the personality, the character, or the degree of nurturing, they are the women who chose to be …

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Hop to it!

A wreath, how grand, something special in all the land! A circle of brambles, flowers and whim With color and delight over the brim! No time to delay, Let’s tuck winter away With a wreath by Alfreda And cause your neighbors to say viola´!

Hope Springs Eternal

We are confronted daily with so many harsh realities-wars, racial tension, financial collapses, loss. Focusing on the woes of life can be overwhelming. Sometimes we just need a little color to make the world a little less dismal; a little more hopeful. And while a spring wreath won’t solve the problems of the world, it …

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Christmas Upon Us!

  Shiny packages adorned with festive bows, a familiar holiday song, change clanging into a red kettle, a gentle snowfall, and the scent of cinnamon, pumpkin, and evergreen. The Christmas season puts the senses on high alert and each sight, sound, and smell elicits a feeling of warmth, comfort, and joy.  Anticipation hangs in the …

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Old Job Visit

I recently went to an open house at the Trotter Multicultural Center on the University of Michigan’s central campus in Ann Arbor. I worked at the previous Trotter House, located on Washtenaw Avenue, over 40 years ago, so I was curious to see how the newly constructed facility on State Street compared to the old. …

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Thanksgiving

Season of Thankfulness Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and here are my top reasons why: 1.     It’s a reminder to be grateful to our God for His bounty 2.     Family and friends gathering around the table 3.     Some of my favorite foods and desserts are on the menu 4.     Generous community donations to shelters and food banks, …

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Autumn Awakenings

Some may think of fall as the sandwich season when the bloom of summer has faded with the expectancy of the first winter snowfall. But fall stirs in me a vibrancy of spirit with the stunning color transformation of foliage and the crisp air often coupled with blustery breezes. The season awakens my zeal for …

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