The dream was a trip to Tuscany. None of us had ever been there, but Tuscany sounded like the perfect destination for our second “girls only” excursion. My sisters and I started this not-quite-yet-a-tradition event several years earlier with a summer trip to New England. Armed with a stack of travel guides and a hefty [...]
Being around children in the summertime is like having your cake with ice cream … every day of the week. It’s the perfect serving of a wallop of sweetness topped with a refreshing blast of coolness. What makes summertime extra special is the carefree taste of freedom that exudes from a child when they know [...]
For those of us lucky enough to know a great dad, Father’s Day ranks as a uniquely special day. In the hours leading up to last Sunday, Father’s Day 2011, images of the two special fathers in my life (my own, and my husband) who have helped shape the meaning of that relationship in my [...]
The end of the school year always offers a measure of anticipation that brings back fond memories of more youthful days. As the promise of summer beckons with each passing day, you can almost taste the chocolate mint or cookies’n cream ice cream that will cool your palate after a day spent frolicking in the [...]
For me, winter seems to bring a need for organization and routine. An orderly and bright indoor environment and a predictable schedule help to keep the melancholy that shortened days and uncooperative weather can bring, at bay. As the days lengthen and the sun’s rays extend their daily visits, it’s not just the sight of [...]
Sometimes it’s easy to forget how giving we can be. Amidst all the talk of hardship and doomsday forecasting; all the images of sudden devastation across the world; and all the stories of phenomenal courage and feats of triumph, lies a plethora of random acts of kindness that can also change the world. I am [...]
There’s something special about the smell of wet dirt. Lately, I open the door and the aroma puts my senses on alert, conjuring up vivid images of a childhood spent building mud cakes and mud castles. I grew up in the desert, which meant that much of our mud was intentionally created, lest we be [...]
I’m a reader. I don’t just read books, news articles and magazines; I devour them. I experience them as I like to think the authors intended — passionately and with an open mind. I believe opening up our minds to the fascinating world of words enriches our individual lives in a way little else can, [...]
