News of the death of Brainerd's Patt Krantz, brought to mind a lesson she taught me — one every reporter should keep in mind.

Patt was an energetic woman, an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and a tireless promoter of the Brainerd Lakes Chapter of Sweet Adelines. As city editor I often worked with her, arranging news photos that would help promote Sweet Adelines' concerts and fundraisers.

We are blessed with a frozen landscape that has lasted over a week because  of the rain and later snow during the New Year's weekend.

One of my favorite subjects in winter is birch trees covered in snow. The problem is white birch bark against white snow will many times illustrate a blank scene for the viewer.

Remember to work with the snow and birch bark against a blue sky or a black background.

Using this technique, the viewer can experience what you saw in the field.

I love the children's story Strega Nona by Tomie dePaola. Big Anthony steals Strega Nona's magic pasta pot and her spell to make pasta. Spaghetti fills the pot and spills out on the floor, but he doesn't know how to stop the pasta from growing. It flows through the house, out the door and down the street.

The abundance of media rushes over young people without them even realizing, and they can be swept along in the crush of messages like the spaghetti that flooded this fictional town.

I bleed a lot.  At least I try to.

There's always the urge, sometimes I can go months without, but I always come back to it.  As a matter of fact, at 5:15pm today, I'll be bleeding again.

Of course, I'm referring to giving blood. 

I started giving blood in high school, the Red Cross used to hold a blood drive at our school, in the gym, and anyone who wanted to could stop by. 

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