We wanted to make poppy seed muffins with rich, full flavor; fluffy, tender interiors; and golden crusts. We were amazed to find that our go-to recipe had a whopping 22 grams of sugar per muffin, so we hoped our new recipe would work with only 11 grams of sugar.

Dear Heloise: At 79, I don’t need much and don’t really want “things” for special occasions. The best gift anyone could give me is to invite me for a home-cooked meal. Nothing fancy, just dinner or lunch and good company. Like many people my age, breaking bread with a friend or family member…

Measles (also called rubeola) is a very contagious viral infection that can be very serious and can even cause death in small children.

Dear Readers: Spring is a beautiful season full of new beginnings. The hibernating animals come out of their slumber to play. Daylight hours are longer, so there is more time to enjoy the warm sunshine. There are flowers and more flowers everywhere. The temperatures are usually moderate, mak…

Ash Wednesday came and went, and for the first year that I can remember I didn’t get the sign of the cross on my forehead. I regret that.

Dear Annie: I am an officer in an old but still active community cemetery with graves dating back to at least the 1800s and with plenty of available space.

Dear Heloise: After I searched for a particular handbag online, I then started noticing advertisements for that handbag on my social media pages and my email homepage. Kinda creepy! What gives?

Dear Readers: Today’s Sound Off is about the lack of nur­ses in hospitals.

Dear Annie: My sister “Katy” is 10 years older than I and has never married or had children. She was a de­voted and loving auntie to my kids when they were young, but they have grown up and don’t hang with her much anymore. She and I have grown apart, as well, in part because of my own devot…

Dear Annie: My husband of 20 years, “Earl,” can be friendly when he wants to be. It’s the second marriage for each of us. We usually are very compatible, but once in a while, I feel verbally abused.

United States Marine Corps Pvt. Aiden D. Heckman, 18, of Lancaster, graduated from boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego

Dear Annie: I work in the summer at an art college, with a program for high schoolers who want to take classes for college credit. During the most recent summer, one of the cliques bullied a kid who has Asperger’s syndrome, to the point that he left the program early and the parents sued the…

It is more important today to make sure that when you water, the water can soak into your soil and not run off.

With a culture saturated by political correctness and relativism, we are inclined to ask if there is any hope for America. If we continue down this slippery slope, there is little hope. Apart from a national spiritual awakening, it will be difficult to turn the Titanic around—the vessel has …

Dear Heloise: My husband wants to rent an RV this year and have all of us go on a vacation to Alaska. I’m worried. This will mean tight quarters with our two boys, ages 12 and 14. Is there any way to do this without going crazy?

Dear Annie: I have four cousins, whom I love a lot. There’s “Piper,” the eldest at 10, with whom I connect on a social and BFF level. The second-eldest, 8-year-old “Wes,” loves to play video games with me, as well as trade Pokemon cards. Then there’s “Ellie,” 7, who likes to bring out my fun…

Animal ID No.: A5257102

Over the weekend, I was thinking about writing my Thursday column about daylight saving time.

Dear Annie: Is it considered old-fashioned to send an actual thank-you by mail these days?

Perhaps an arbitrary number of cloves, the 40 in this French dish are iconic; while the chicken braises, the generous cloves become appealingly soft and spreadable. But their flavor is often spiritless.

Dear Heloise: Would you please repeat the storage times for some common frozen foods? I misplaced the clipping I had with that information.

Dear Annie: My husband and I have been married for 48 years. We have endured really expensive medical issues over the past several years, and our funds are stretched to the limit.

Wow! What a show that was! Julie Drake wrote a marvelous preview of what to expect from the music of Kit and the Kats at the Lancaster Performing Arts Center, and she didn’t exaggerate one bit. Take that comment from someone who lived through those golden years of wonderful music when she sa…

Dear Readers: Are you ready? It’s tax time! The Internal Revenue Service is here to help; the website is www.irs.gov. If you have questions about filing your taxes, jump on the computer first.

Dear Annie: At my job, I’m the newbie on the team. The others I work with seem to know one another well, and they chat and make jokes in the office all the time. Meanwhile, some of my teammates are rather passive-aggressive with me. I don’t understand why, though. I’m good at my job, and I a…

Spring is in the air or in the wind. The trees are showing up their greens and the flowers are in full bloom. The fleeting fields of poppies and wild flowers are pleasant memories of the beautiful gifts of nature. A new season of life goes on changing the landscape of our existence.

Dear Readers: Today’s Sound Off is about hypochondria.

Dear Annie: Lately, I’ve been reading that people aren’t getting enough vitamin D. But I also hear that people should wear sunscreen more regularly. Doesn’t wearing sunscreen limit the amount of vitamin D absorbed by your skin? How can we get more vitamin D while still wearing sunscreen ever…