The importance of gardening (and the 10-minute sunbath)
Gardening feels like a bosom-hug from my Grammie. She loved to grow beans, putzing quietly in the dirt. Now it’s April 2020 and COVID-19 has gifted me with
Gardening
Insights, Photography
Feeling stressed? Try this simple affirmation for peace (slide show)
There’s a silver lining in every crisis, from the economic meltdown of 2009, to cancer, to the COVID-19 issue. Tough times are reminders that we live within circles—family, nation, world. So, what’s our relationship with
Gardening
Easy vegetables, herbs, and flowers to grow in cool climates
I went to a garage sale recently in search of a used shovel. No luck. But I did find a used book of hysterical gardening stories. (More on that in a second). Okay, I know you’re here for
Insights
How to cope in troubled times? Whispers from Antarctica
Sometimes you have to cover many miles to discover relief during troubled times. For me, I traveled from Alaska to Antarctica, camera gear in tow. Little did I know, I’d be forced to focus on more than cute penguins…
Gardening
Is it bear or bears? And how to grow a Christmas cactus
I live on Kodiak, the second-largest island in the U.S. Did you know that it’s mostly a wildlife refuge for coastal brown bears? What does that have to do with Christmas cactus? First of all, Merriam-Webster set me straight. Again. Because the plural of cactus
Cooking, Insights
The gravy blew up! Tips for a stress-free Thanksgiving
It became my job to make the gravy the year my husband and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner. Easy-peasy. I’d made enough gravy to fill a hundred gravy boats. Little did I know, my gravy adventure would—oops,
Gardening
What dinosaurs can teach us about the future of gardening
Have you ever seen those drawings in National Geographic of what Alaska looked like in the days of the dinosaurs? Far from a frozen wasteland. We’re talking a lush, tropical
Cooking, Gardening
How Rose Hips Crush Oranges (and Why You Should Eat Them)
What do red bell peppers, broccoli, and papayas have in common? They’re awesome sources of vitamin C. But there’s another source of vitamin C that blows these guys out of the water…
Gardening
Equinox explained. And you need this cool, “daylight-darkness” chart…
To my chop-wood, carry-water friend Mary, the equinox means one thing: Time to dig the ashes out of the woodstove. For the rest of us, let’s dive into a little
Insights
If attitude is everything, what’s yours — right now?
Winston Churchill once said, “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” What is your attitude—right now, at this moment—toward your spouse? Your kids? Your
Photography
How simple photos can soothe a tangled world. Really.
On a drizzly Monday morning, eight people gathered in our living room. They came to absorb a few photography tips and nibble on warm, oatmeal cookies. Little did they know that this was more than a
Gardening
Whale Ahoy! Plus the #1 Essential Tip for Your Summer Garden
What do whales and your summer garden have in common? I’ll share a tip that has solved many a garden problem. But let’s begin with a story: One morning, we departed the Kodiak boat harbor on our boat. As luck would have it,
Insights
3 Personal Stories to Prove that Miracles Do Happen
What are miracles? Coincidences? Lucky accidents reserved for saints? If you’ve ever wondered if magic is real, these stories will confirm that modern-day miracles do happen. And that you
Insights
Do you believe in magic? A sea glass story from Kodiak Island
On Kodiak Island, you’ll find a special beach at the end of a forest trail. We call it Glass Beach. Tides deliver colorful shards of sea glass, twisted copper bits, even World War II dog tags. One time, Glass Beach delivered not glass, but an answer to
Insights, Photography
How to make enchanting “Little Planet” photos
When you look at Little Planet photos, you can’t help but smile. And they are easy to make, whether you have a smartphone or
Insights
How to end plastic pollution like this 10-year old activist
If trends continue, by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.* A sobering thought. But 10-year old Lilly Platt is attacking the world’s plastic problem. She began by launching Lilly’s Plastic Pickup to educate the rest of us. No small task. And to think
Cooking
Guide to the 20 best benefits of lemon
In Kodiak, Alaska, lemons do not grow on trees. So when lemons went on sale at Safeway, I bought a dozen. Thankfully, friends and family members sent me dozens of how-to-use lemon tips. Here is a zesty Top 20, from