Fran Ostendorf

Featured Most recent

135 results total, viewing 11 - 20

Every year, I take some time for reflection right about now. We are, after all, in the month of Elul, which leads us to the High Holy Days. Reflection and introspection are part of what many of … more

Fran Ostendorf | 9/3/20

Embrace the new normal – for now

I wish I could assure you that this will be my last correspondence about life on hold. But I’m pretty sure there will be more in the months to come. Regular readers might notice that from my … more

Fran Ostendorf | 8/7/20

Keeping up with the news

In past years, July marked the beginning of the lazy, hazy days of summer. Warm temperatures and the vacation season sent us outdoors to crowd parks and beaches. Sneak a day off from work to go to a … more

Fran Ostendorf | 7/3/20

Hope amid the horrors

What a month it’s been. In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, we continued to stay home to help flatten the curve during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a community, we tried to stay connected online … more

Fran Ostendorf | 6/5/20

Just another day in quarantine

I am happy to stay at home and do my part to stop the spread of that nasty coronavirus. But have you noticed how the days seem to blend together? I occasionally find myself stopping to ask, … more

Fran Ostendorf | 4/30/20

We are down, but not out

Last month, when I started my column by asking if spring would ever be the same, I had no way of knowing what that question would come to mean. When we started to put together last month’s … more

Fran Ostendorf | 4/3/20

Will spring be the same this year?

It’s the beginning of March and here in southern New England we are all looking forward to spring. This is our annual Home & Garden issue, because it’s around now that we’re … more

Fran Ostendorf | 3/8/20

Do you remember?

Welcome to February! I have many reasons to like this month. This year, I’m not sick of the weather – yet. Usually, I take a few days of vacation in February, whether it’s a … more

Fran Ostendorf | 2/6/20

A new decade is cause for reflection

As a new decade dawns, I was curious to look back at the past 10 years. The passage of time becomes something you are more conscious of as you age. I wrote about this last month and it’s … more

Fran Ostendorf | 1/8/20

Many opportunities for civil discourse

Who would have thought? On a recent rainy Monday, four Israel-oriented programs were scheduled in our community. Whether or not you agree with the viewpoints presented in these programs, you have … more

Fran Ostendorf | 12/9/19