Last weekend, I indulged in one of my favorite hobbies: collecting sea glass.  As I hunched over a slip of beach on a rocky coastline, my eyes scoured the sand and rocks for small gems.  A sliver of green . . . a small piece of pale brown.  I found sharp shards that I tossed back into the sea to continue their journey. (more…)

The first tree I fell in love with was a southern magnolia.  That tree, as I recall, was absolutely huge - with low lying branches where a little girl could sit, sheltered from the Texas heat.  In the spring it produced giant, fragrant blossoms - larger than my hands - that gave off the most heavenly scent imaginable.  My mother used to put the blooms in bowls of water around the house so that the rooms would fill with the smell of magnolia. (more…)

Four years ago, I went apple picking on a New England farm and came home with a bag of Macs and a black baby bunny.  My children were initially thrilled with this new furry family member, but eventually the novelty wore off and Bella the bunny became my charge. (more…)

This blog was selected as one of the top finalists in the 2010 RDC “Earth Day” contest.

I’m not going to tell you about being awestruck by the northern lights on a warm Alaskan night or of side-stepping a horned toad on a dusty Texas trail (neither of which I’ve done).  Nor am I going to tell you about breathlessly watching a star fall in the inky sky or of falling to my knees in wonder to examine a wildflower (both of which I’ve done). (more…)

Spring has sprung here in New England . . . or rather winter has ended, more or less.  Some days are surprisingly warm and sunny.  Other days are soggy and muddy.  It appears that the Easter bunny will not be leaving eggs nestled in snow clumps this year. (more…)