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Icon book review: "Magic Lessons"

Alice Hoffman does indeed spin a charming spell, one that sparkles with literary magic
Posted by Fred Steiner on November 29, 2020 - 8:45pm

Review by Robert McCool
Alice Hoffman's latest chronicle of the remarkable Owens women s “Magic Lessons” (ISBN9781982108847). It completes the enchanting trilogy “Practical Magic (1995) and “The Rules of Magic” (2017) began.

Ms. Hoffman explains the reason she writes most succinctly with a quote from her Aunt Jet, a character in  “”The Rules of Magic” - “she opened a book and therefore was saved, discovering that a novel was as great as any spell.”

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Our Swiss connection - part 3

Christian and Kristina Bucher
Posted by Fred Steiner on November 25, 2020 - 4:55pm

This is the third installment in this series. Click here for the previous installment.

Christian Bucher was born July 3, 1778, in Langnau Emmental, Canton Bern, Switzerland.

He was the son of Friedrick and Elizabeth (Luti) Bucher who remained in Switzerland. His wife, Kristina Brechbuhl, was born Feb. 8, 1789, in Ruderswil, Canton Bern, Switzerland. His father was Urich and we do not have information on his mother. 

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Forgotten Bluffton: The Bixel family's goats

Gordon was an optometrist here from the 1930s to 1960s
Posted by Fred Steiner on November 22, 2020 - 2:40pm

Note: Have you ever wonder why Bluffton has so many large old "garages" in some of the older neighborhoods? The reason is that these building housed a range of animals from horses, cows, chickens and even goats. This story is about one family and their goats.

Before there was a Dr. Alan Yoder, optometrist, in Bluffton, there was a Dr. Gordon Bixel, optometrist.

His tenure checking Bluffton’s eye dated back to the 1930s all the way to his retirement in the mid-1960s.

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Icon music review - My Gift - Carrie Underwood

A few tunes on My Gift are worth listening to while preparing dinner for the family. But one can skip buying it
Posted by Fred Steiner on November 22, 2020 - 2:28pm

Reviewed by Craig Hoffman
American country music singer Carrie Underwood is out with My Gift. This is her seventh album and first Christmas-themed effort. Underwood won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.

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Our Swiss connection - part 2

Christian and Barbara Luginbuhl Schumacher
Posted by Fred Steiner on November 19, 2020 - 9:20am

This is the second installment in this series. Click here for previous installment.

Christian Schumacher was born Oct. 7, 1782, in Florimont, Alsace Loraine, France, to Hans and Catharine (Luginbuhl) Schumacher. Christian married Barbara Elizabeth Luginbuhl on June 14, 1810, at Chaluet, Obt (district) Moutier in Canton Bern, Switzerland.

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Icon music review – Positions by Ariana Grande

Positions is a solid effort for Ariana Grande, although there is nothing new here
Posted by Fred Steiner on November 18, 2020 - 6:16am

Reviewed by Craig Hoffman
Positions is the sixth studio album by American singer and actress Ariana Grande, released on Oct. 30, 2020, by Republic Records.

The album builds on the R&B and trap pop elements of Grande’s earlier efforts, Sweetener (2018) and Thank U, Next (2019). There is also a good amount of hip hop, neo-soul, and funk featured on Positions. 

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