What have you done to restore your soul this summer? I hope you've carved out a bit of down-time. I was so fortunate to take a 2-week trip to Newfoundland with my husband, Doug. What an adventure! Here are some highlights and photos. Day One ? St. Johns -- "Newfoundland Time" When we flew from … [Read more...] about Newfoundland: Wind, Whales, Puffins, Gannets, Cod!
Adventure in the Dominican Republic
Throngs of well-wishers are waiting to greet the passengers coming off our plane, which has arrived hours late. It is the middle of the night. The press of people makes us feel like rock stars, but lonely, unclaimed ones. We are not Dominicans returning to their families for the holiday. It … [Read more...] about Adventure in the Dominican Republic
“I Cannot Live Without Books” Touring the Library of Congress
My family toured the Library of Congress last weekend, with alumni from Juniata College, our daughter's alma mater. The Library of Congress is in downtown DC, just behind the Capitol building (next to the Supreme Court). The LOC spans multiple buildings, but the one open for free tours is the … [Read more...] about “I Cannot Live Without Books” Touring the Library of Congress
#HalloWeekends #CedarPoint
Cedar Point is America's Roller Coast! Dorky but true.?For each of the past 22 years, I've spent an August day there with approximately 40,000 of my fellow citizens. Since my in-laws live nearby, Cedar Point is part of the magic of our Annual Family Reunion. (You can read a 2013 blogpost?about … [Read more...] about #HalloWeekends #CedarPoint
Traveling to the U-P of Michigan with Elderly Parents
Growing up, my family took long car camping trips. My father was a principal and my mother was a teacher, so they took full advantage of summer vacation. All seven of us piled into a Ford Galaxy for trips we measured in weeks and thousands of miles. Our trunk was stuffed to capacity and an … [Read more...] about Traveling to the U-P of Michigan with Elderly Parents
Vanishing
Skipjacks are vessels of a vanishing fleet -- the nation's last to work under sail. So reads the brochure for the Rebecca T. Ruark, a skipjack from 1886 which still sails at sunset daily from Dogwood Harbor on Tilghman Island, under the direction of Captain Wade Murphy. Doug and I took the 2-hour … [Read more...] about Vanishing
A Trip to Beaver Island
Beaver Island is possibly the biggest island you've never considered visiting. It's in the upper portion of Lake Michigan, a 2-hour ferry ride from Charlevoix. After my husband and I took a boat trip in the Thousand Islands (and yes, I'll admit I did post rather excessively about that) we … [Read more...] about A Trip to Beaver Island
An Artist’s Date
If you've read "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron, you may recognize the phrase "Artist's Date." It's basically a block of time you spend by yourself to fill up your senses and restore your creativity. Her website puts it like this: Artist Dates fire up the?imagination. They spark whimsy. They … [Read more...] about An Artist’s Date
Swimming with the Sting Rays & Other Water Follies
This week we went camping along the Chesapeake Bay at Breezy Point. We had 3 empty campsites on either side of us and a whole stretch of beach to ourselves. It was bliss, except for the extreme heat! I spent the morning and evening hours searching for sharks' teeth on the sand and at the edge of the … [Read more...] about Swimming with the Sting Rays & Other Water Follies
Easter Sunrise Service at the Lincoln Memorial
We sat on folding chairs before dawn, in the still-dark. Abe Lincoln towered behind us. I felt the cold wind on my cheeks while I kept my arm around my grown-up daughter, to help keep her warm. In the distance, the early light silhouetted the obelisk of the Washington Monument with pink. We listened … [Read more...] about Easter Sunrise Service at the Lincoln Memorial
A Stone of Hope
President's Day dawned unseasonably warm, here in the land of presidents. So Doug and I decided we should do something 1) presidential, and 2) outdoors. We drove into the District of Columbia to walk the monuments. As they say, whenever you have a good idea, you can be sure a lot of other people … [Read more...] about A Stone of Hope
We Are Family: Delivering Food to Seniors
Our daughter texted us, tweeted us, left phone messages, and emailed. I think she wanted to get our attention. She's been volunteering once a month to deliver groceries to seniors, and didn't we want to help? Really, how could we say, "Quit bugging me about your needy seniors when I have water … [Read more...] about We Are Family: Delivering Food to Seniors