Robert Wolf, more commonly and affectionately known as Bob, is no longer a kid, and hasn’t been for some time. He has long had white hair and a white beard, and his eyesight isn’t what it used to be. But he is still filled with the coltish enthusiasm that fuels his desire to create what he calls an “autobiography of America.”

That has been his mission for decades now, ever since he ran away from home and began to travel the country, hitchhiking and riding freight trains, stopping here and there and eventually capturing the thoughts and dreams, the fears and joys, the words of people across this country.

They are what some call “ordinary people” and what Wolf calls “everyday people,” and here is what one of them has to say in a new edition of “Coyotes and Stars: Stories from the American Southwest.”

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This is from Clyde Shepherd, cowboy: “We might start work at two-thirty in the morning, dependin’ on how far we were goin’, what pasture we were workin.’ … Wintertime, you wouldn’t hardly ever take a bath … I think about seventeen days was the longest I ever went without a bath.”

Shepherd is just one of the dozens of voices in the book; he is also the person to whom the book is dedicated and about whom Wolf writes, “I will never again meet a man like Clyde Shepherd. His was an open and welcoming nature that invited strangers into his life … He was one of those country folk, now gone.”

For a man who has earned degrees from Columbia University and the University of Chicago, as has Wolf, he is able to communicate honestly with everybody. That seems a manifestation of his sincerity and curiosity, characteristics that he once employed when he did a bit of writing for the Chicago Tribune. And it was during those 1980s years that he met and fell in love with and married the great singer Bonnie Koloc, who is a talented visual artist and whose photographic skills are responsible for the accompanying portrait of her husband.

Wolf began conducting writing workshops for homeless people in Nashville, where he and Koloc lived for a couple of years, and then did the same with farm workers after they settled in northeastern Iowa in 1990.

“I have always believed that anyone who can tell a story can write one,” Wolf says. “And that has been proven over and over in every workshop.”

As the stories began to pile up, it was Koloc who suggested that they deserved to be in book form. So Wolf founded Free River Press, which has published nearly 30 titles, highlighted by the bound story results of workshops held in the Midwest, Mississippi Delta and soon those from New York and Chicago.

“Coyotes and Stars” is the latest, “the outcome of 12 years of effort by many people.” It is a delight, though shadowed by the realization that many of the stories concern aspects of life that are vanishing. Or are already gone.

Here is Beulah Brannan, who ran a cafe: “I grew up on a ranch. My dad bought a farm and they drilled oil wells on it. Magic City was a little town that sprouted oil wells, and we had a little money… (But) after we lost our money, we just kind of existed, like everybody else… I was married in 1939. My husband and I had a prenuptial agreement: you go to the ballet and theater with me and I’ll go hunting and fishing with you.”

You will meet Wolf in some of his writings in the book, such as, “When I decided to create an American self-portrait through writing workshops, America still seemed a quiltwork of cultures that could be maintained. But now decades later, the quiltwork has vanished and can live only in the imagination.”

I would argue that they are also alive in the pages of this book.

Pat Speuda, artist in New Mexico: “I have a home with major appliances, my own paintings on the walls, and handmade shelves filled with books. My husband’s experiments with weed-based mulch paid off — we now have more vegetables than we can eat. And we are happy patrons of the new espresso bar on Route 66. Our cats have a hangout under the old travel trailer, and I have my little pool in the backyard, under the trees… I can’t do anything about the weather.”

Free River Press publications have been featured on such programs as “CBS News Sunday Morning,” on NPR’s “All Things Considered” and “Morning Edition.” There was, for years, a weekly radio program, “American Mosaic with Robert Wolf,” with many stories from Free River Press books read by their authors.

Wolf and Koloc recently finished a book tour in New Mexico and Texas. “Bonnie does most of the driving. My eyes aren’t what they used to be,” Wolf told me. “She has been so supportive over these 35 years.”

He remembers the night they met. It was at the Green Mill and they were introduced by harmonica genius Howard Levy. At that point, Wolf had never heard Koloc sing but, he says, “Oh, we had a wonderful conversation.”

rkogan@chicagotribune.com

There is a saying, “Paris au printemps,” which means “Paris in springtime.” Perhaps there should also be a saying “Italia d’estate,” which means “Italy in summer,” because if my social media means anything, almost everyone that I know is there right now.

One great thing about having friends who travel is that they send you pictures — of food, sure, but also of drinks. A friend visiting Milan recently sent me a photo of her passion fruit spritz.

Aperol and Campari spritzes have been all the rage for quite some time now, which I’m sure warms the heart — and bank accounts — of Campari Group, which owns both brands. But just as suddenly as something hits it big in the cocktail world, just as suddenly, the variations start to appear.

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Fruit is the variation en vogue right now. There are a couple of ways to add fruit flavors to your next cocktail. The first is to use fruit-flavored liqueurs or vodkas. These certainly add the flavor necessary for cocktails. Liqueurs tend to be quite sweet, whereas flavored vodkas, especially good-quality ones, are usually not, or at least not as much. Both are incredibly consistent, which makes them a cinch in cocktails.

The second way is to use high-quality fruit syrups. You can make your own, or you can buy premium-quality versions. Just make sure that they use a sweetener that you are comfortable with. Most inexpensive brands are nothing more than high-fructose corn syrup and water.

You can also use purees or concentrates. Purees and concentrates have certain advantages over fresh fruit. If you use fresh fruit to make your own puree, you will need to add sugar, as fresh fruit is not nearly sweet enough on its own for cocktails. (It’s quite a bit more acidic than you think.) Purees can separate, which is both distasteful in appearance and problematic when mixing. I find that concentrates help mitigate that problem, and usually they have just enough added sugar for balance.

Lastly, you can use fresh fruit. This can be more difficult than you think, since fresh fruit varies during its season. For instance, at their peak, blackberries are fantastically sweet and delicious, but turn bitingly acidic and bitter just a week later. The answer to bitter has always been sweet. And the best cocktails are the right balance between the two. If you use fresh berries, you can muddle a few just for flavor. If you add more, you will have to add sugar in one form or another — honey, agave, sugar, etc. — to achieve that balance.

Here are four different fruit spritz variations, each made with a different method. (A special thanks to Joan for the passion fruit spritz recipe, all the way from Milan!)

Hugo Spritz

INGREDIENTS

3/4 ounce Alamere Spirits vodka

3/4 ounce Williams Sonoma elderflower syrup

1/2 ounce Meyer lemon juice

4 sprigs fresh mint (preferably peppermint, which has smaller leaves than spearmint)

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

DIRECTIONS

Combine mint, vodka, elderflower syrup and lemon juice in a mixing glass with ice. Shake until well incorporated. Pour entire contents into a large wineglass, top with ice, and then add sparkling wine and soda. Stir gently to combine.

Passion Fruit Spritz

INGREDIENTS

1 ounce Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro

1 ounce Perfect Puree of Napa Valley’s Passion Fruit Concentrate

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

DIRECTIONS

Combine amaro and passion fruit concentrate in a large wineglass filled with ice. Add sparkling wine and soda. Stir gently to combine.

Strawberry Spritz

INGREDIENTS

1 ounce Young & Yonder California Amaro

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

3 stemmed, washed and sliced fresh strawberries (about 1 inch in diameter)

1 fresh strawberry with stem, washed

DIRECTIONS

Muddle strawberries in the bottom of a mixing glass until broken up. Add ice and amaro. Shake to combine and then pour the entire contents into a large wineglass. Add more ice, top with soda and sparkling wine. Stir gently to combine. Place the strawberry with the stem on top for garnish.

The limoncello spritz is a refreshing summer drink. (Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Limoncello Spritz

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 ounces Hanson Meyer Lemon Vodka

1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed Meyer lemon juice

1/4 ounce simple syrup

1 ounce sparkling wine

3/4 ounce sparkling water

Washed Meyer lemon for zesting

DIRECTIONS

Combine vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup in a mixing glass with ice. Shake to combine and then pour the entire contents into a large wineglass. Add ice to fill and then top with soda and sparkling wine. Stir to combine. Zest lemon on top for garnish.

Jeff Burkhart is the author of “Twenty Years Behind Bars: The Spirited Adventures of a Real Bartender, Vol. I and II,” the host of the Barfly Podcast on iTunes (as seen in the NY Times) and an award-winning bartender at a local restaurant. Follow him at jeffburkhart.net and contact him at jeffbarflyIJ@outlook.com.

By DEVI SHASTRI, Associated Press

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bladder cancer earlier this year, had surgery to remove the organ and is now considered cured by his doctors, the Pro Football Hall of Famer said Monday.

Sanders said he is upbeat and plans to coach the Buffaloes this fall.

Bladder cancer is the 10th leading cause of cancer death in the United States. But recent advancements in its treatment have improved outcomes for people who are diagnosed, according to the American Cancer Society.

The 57-year-old Sanders shared the details of his diagnosis and treatment, which involved surgeons reconstructing a section of his intestine to function as a bladder, and said it “was a fight, but we made it.”

Here’s what you should know about bladder cancer.

What is bladder cancer?

This cancer starts when the cells in the bladder, which stores urine, grow out of control and form tumors. In some cases, the cancer spreads to other parts of the body.

The most common symptom for bladder cancer is blood in the urine, which can cause urine to look orange, pink, or rarely, dark red. The color change can come and go, the American Cancer Society says, and early tumors may not cause pain.

Pain or burning while urinating, weak stream, frequent urination or urge to go when the bladder isn’t full can also be signs of bladder cancer. Symptoms of advanced bladder cancer can include an inability to urinate, bone pain, loss of appetite, weakness, swollen feet and lower back pain on one side.

If you have symptoms, it is worth getting checked out, because all of those symptoms might be from other health issues. Blood in the urine is most often from an infection, a benign tumor, a kidney stone or bladder stone or other benign kidney disease, the American Cancer Society said.

Sanders said during a news conference on Monday that the cancer was found when he went for a precautionary annual CT scan; he has a history of blood clots in his legs.

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How common is bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is more common in men than women.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be nearly 85,000 new cases in 2025, with more than 65,000 in men.

The incidence rate for bladder cancer has decreased by 1% per year in recent years. Death rates have stayed relatively stable, declining by 1% per year since 2013.

What can cause bladder cancer?

Smoking is the biggest risk factor, the American Cancer Society said. The recent decline in incidence rates are likely due to fewer people smoking.

Other risk factors include working in jobs that expose you to chemicals — like painters, metal and leather workers, miners and firefighters. People who use a urinary catheter for a long time are also at higher risk.

What is the outlook for bladder cancer patients?

Outcomes for bladder cancer patients improve based on if and how much the cancer has spread.

The five-year relative survival rate is 72% to 97% if the cancer has not spread outside the bladder, but drops to 40% if the cancer has spread to lymph nodes or other nearby parts of the body, and 9% if it has spread further.

Treatment can include surgery to remove the tumor, parts of the bladder or the whole bladder; radiation; chemotherapy; targeted drug therapy and immunotherapy.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By JONEL ALECCIA, Associated Press

A quarter-size device that tracks the rise and fall of sugar in your blood is the latest source of hope — and hype — in the growing buzz around wearable health technology.

Continuous glucose monitors, small patches that provide 24-hour insight into concentrations of sugar in the blood, could be a tool for Americans to “take control over their own health,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently told federal lawmakers.

“They can take responsibility,” Kennedy said. “They can begin to make good judgments about their diet, about their physical activity, about the way they live their lives.”

The devices have lifesaving benefits for people with diabetes, the disease caused when blood sugar remains high because their bodies don’t make enough insulin or become resistant to it. The condition, which affects more than 38 million people in the U.S., raises the risk of serious health problems such as heart and kidney disease and vision loss.

But the devices have surged in popularity among people without diabetes. Sales have been driven by high-profile marketers such as Casey Means, the nominee for U.S. surgeon general.

There’s scant evidence the monitors are useful for people with normal blood sugar levels, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Healthy bodies can effectively regulate glucose after meals and provide the energy they need to function. Glucose monitors may lead people to misinterpret normal swings in blood sugar that happen after eating or activity. In addition, the devices can be “notoriously inaccurate,” providing misleading readings, she said.

“The problem with wearing these is that you can just be zooming in on and creating pathology when it’s not there,” Dushay said.

Here’s what you need to know about the devices:

Here’s what a continuous glucose monitor does

The device is a small patch, about the size of two stacked quarters, usually placed on the upper arm or stomach. It uses a needle to painlessly pierce the skin for a tiny sensor.

The sensor measures the glucose in fluid under the skin, delivering a signal every few minutes to a phone app or a handheld display. The apps typically record blood sugar levels and help people track the foods they eat and how they impact those levels.

When healthy people eat a meal that contains carbohydrates, their blood sugar rises, peaks and falls in response to the food.

A healthy fasting blood glucose level for a person without diabetes is roughly 70 milligrams per deciliter to 99 milligrams per deciliter. A range from 100 to 126 milligrams per deciliter indicates prediabetes and above 126 milligrams per deciliter indicates diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

In adults without diabetes, blood sugar levels can climb to 140 milligrams per deciliter or more within an hour of a meal, before falling back to baseline levels within two or three hours, according to the association. It’s a sign the body is processing sugar normally.

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Continuous glucose monitors have been available since the late 1990s

For decades, these devices were available only for people with diabetes. The monitors revolutionized care by allowing more precise adjustment of insulin used to treat diabetes and giving people the ability to modify meals and activity more accurately.

Last year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first over-the-counter monitors. Since then, many companies have emerged to market them, claiming to provide intensive, individualized health monitoring. Cost is generally about $100 a month.

They’ve really caught on with consumers curious about how food and activity affect their blood sugar levels. For instance, Noom, the weight-loss and fitness app, launched a blood glucose feature last year that has proven extremely popular, said Alexander Fabry, a company executive.

“Of the people who are using a CGM, the vast majority of them don’t have a diabetes diagnosis,” he said.

Who can use the monitors?

The devices have been lifesaving for people with diabetes. And they can be helpful for people with risk factors for the disease, including obesity, prediabetes, a history of gestational diabetes or a family history of the condition.

The devices can allow users to see how specific food and activity choices affect their blood sugar in near real-time, said Dr. Alaina Vidmar, a pediatric obesity specialist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

“After a large meal, you may watch your blood sugar go up and sort of learn something about yourself,” Vidmar said. “For example, I drink a sugar-sweetened soda and my blood sugar goes up really high, really fast. And maybe I don’t feel as good, right?”

What are the cautions?

People without risk factors for diabetes may turn to the monitors just because they’re curious, said Dr. David Kessler. A former FDA commissioner, Kessler doesn’t have diabetes, but he wore a monitor for a couple months during research for his recent book, “Diet, Drugs and Dopamine.”

“I think it’s a very interesting tool to experiment with if you’re so inclined,” Kessler said.

But, he noted, the devices can’t be used to diagnose or treat disease. Even experts don’t agree on how to interpret or provide health advice for people without diabetes based on blood sugar data.

“No one knows what’s optimal in the nondiabetic state,” he said.

Before using a monitor, Dushay asks patients to consider their motives.

“What do you think you’re going to get from the data?” she said. “What is to be gained from wearing that monitor?”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.