Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyyy has had an extremely productive past several days. After a sweeping tour of Europe picking up billions in new aid, embracing European heads of state and traveling in donated aircraft, he detoured to the Middle East to scold Arab nations for their support of Russia. Those Arab leaders can see the solidarity of the European coalition of support for Ukraine and economic banishment of Russia from the world community.

Enjoy your garden throughout the growing season and beyond. Preserve its beauty, fragrance and flavor in artwork, crafts and food.

Cellphones with cameras make it easy to capture the seasonal changes in our gardens and environment. Use a favorite photo as the wallpaper on your computer or phone. Turn them into greeting cards to send or pictures to hang on walls, lifting your spirits on gray winter or rainy days.

I’ve been writing this year about new experiences and setting new goals. This month I have been learning the importance of eating protein, fruits and veggies, exercise, and how to keep your brain engaged with our series Stay Independent: A Healthy Aging Program. It’s been a great month! Here are a few new opportunities coming up in June and July:

My wife and I have worn several titles over the years. Wife. Husband. Mom and dad. Grandparents. Business owners. Christians. Employees and this fall we’ll add … empty nesters.

We'd like to thank the Parks Department and volunteers for new trees in West View Memorial Park. They were planted last week. The Parks Department was assisted by a very energetic team of fifth grade softball girls. It was fun to see their enthusiasm, especially when they completed their task, held handed and danced around the newly planted trees singing, "Kumbaya" … and God smiled.

Substance use and mental health disorders, and suicide ideation are significant problems among the veteran population. This Memorial Day, millions of American families will take time to honor the men and women who lost their lives in service of their country.

In 1988, President Ronald Reagan first recognized May as National Foster Care Month.

Every year since, the month of May has been recognized as a time to bring awareness to the needs of America’s youth who are placed in foster care.

It’s also important to recognize organizations in Iowa and around the country tirelessly serving kids and families in our foster care system.

After sitting through “Fast X,” I’m puzzled on how to best review it.

On one hand, fans of the popular 10-part series will most likely love the film which hits all the marks — a series of one liners and ridiculous amounts of nonsensical action which should have killed most — if not all — involved.

Let me give a challenge. Type “crying” into your search engine. Then look at the images. Many of them are of little children. Their eyes swollen and red. Tears flowing. Noses are running. Their mouths are wide open. The adults all look distressed.

Steve looked out from the turret of his cabin and watched the sun set behind the mountain. Branding is over for the spring, and he was able to get away from the ranch for a few days, so here he was, in his private castle, sipping private coffee, looking down at his private horse eating hay in his private corral.

For a man who has spent most of his life in someone else’s bunkhouse, a suite at the Ritz couldn’t be more wonderful than this little hole-up spot in the mountains.

Every year just before April 15 I drop a bad check in the mail to the IRS for whatever crazy number that my accountant says that I have to send them. My banker has a legacy of being willing to loan for taxes and I test that out. His premise of thinking is that if you are paying taxes, you are making money so that is a positive thing. I hope that he keeps thinking that. I pay my fair share of taxes.

Last year’s record-high temperatures across much of the country took a toll on gardens and landscapes. Once again, above-normal summer temperatures are in the forecast for many regions of the country. Adjusting how you manage your gardens and landscape can help plants thrive as temperatures rise.

I enjoy easy gardening, so I love rhubarb and asparagus. Once established, they take minimal care and provide delicious flavors all spring. I compiled some information from the AnswerLine website, www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/answerline, which might be useful. They are an excellent source and have been answering home and family questions from Iowans for more than 40 years.

Really, another sequel. A week after we closed the book on the “Guardians of the Galaxy,” we get another sequel — not sure it’s one anyone asked for — “Book Club 2: The Next Chapter.” I know I sure wasn’t, but admittedly I don’t think 50-something men are the target demographic. So I invited my 83-year-old mother along and she seemed to love it.

I would offer this to my own son, the final of six Cauthrons to graduate from Spencer High School. But he wouldn’t listen to “dad” anymore than he usually does. So hopefully some of you other graduates will.