Apparently, Cinderella isn’t the only one with a mouse helper. So Handy and compact — may be having a mouse maid will become the next little thing…
Growing Designer Snowflakes
There is something magical and compelling in the delicate artistry of snowflakes. It’s as if nature decided to show off one of its finest creations in a study of contrasts and contradictions. After all, how can snowflakes fall at a rate of “a million billion per second” and yet every […]
Grain-Free French Bread Worth Sharing
I think every one would agree the best time to eat bread is fresh from the oven. So I generally double this recipe for grain-free french bread. The first loaf we slather with butter and enjoy as soon as it comes out of the oven. The remaining loaves we cut […]
Downed Power Line PSA — This Might Shock You
We never know what situations we are going to encounter in life. So, just in case you find yourself around downed power lines that are live — this downed power line PSA from Puget Sound Energy shares some key information that may help save your life: Stay at least 35 […]
A Simple, But Luscious Four-Ingredient Lotion
Dry skin is the bane of winter. But January is the time to try new things. So… If you are tired of using skincare products with a long list of ingredients that you’ve never heard of and have no idea what they do, you might want to try making your […]
Can We Ever Feel Too Valuable?
We all have an innate need to be valued in life — to feel we are valuable as individuals and as members of our community and to feel that our contributions are worthy and appreciated. But can we ever feel too valuable?
Beautiful And Cute But Still Voracious Predators
If something is beautiful or cute we tend to think of it as friendly, happy or, at the very least, benign. But few things look and act that simply.
Words: “The World Of The Individual Person…”
Recently, Pew Research asked thousands of Americans where they find meaning in life. Instead of presenting group responses, they highlighted the wonderful responses and stories from the world of the individual person. It reminded me that: Everything of value and meaning is close to us. One step and one person won’t […]
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Location Isn’t Just A Place, It’s An Environment
The first, second, and third rule of real estate is — Location, Location, Location! But location isn’t just a place. And, it isn’t something static. Location is an entire environment… — A dynamic relationship that is constantly changing and evolving in an ebb and flow of elements both large and small; seen and […]
What Are Your Favorite Fall Flavors?
What flavors do you associate with fall? For me, the ones that immediately come to mind are apple, cinnamon, caramel, ginger, cranberry, and pumpkin. Baking with these flavors will make your house smell delicious and give you that warm, comforting feeling. Here is a recipe for Pumpkin Bread to get […]
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Universal Well-Being And Planetary Considerations
What will it take for us to let go of our endless debates and finger-pointings over global warming or global climate change? When will we begin to truly recognize that the heart of our human existence and survival is the planet Earth and all it holds? As E. B. White […]
Fast Facts on Hurricanes
The month of September is peak hurricane season. The Atlantic Hurricane season is June 1st through November 30th. So as Florence makes her way slowly down the Atlantic coast, it seemed a good time to compile some fast facts on hurricanes. A hurricane is a cyclonic tropical system that draws energy […]
Start With A Good Roasted Chicken Bone Broth
Fall is just about here and, depending on where you live, it may be time to make some soup. To make really good tasting soup, you need a rich tasting broth. I usually start with the remains of a whole 4 lb chicken that I have either cooked on the […]
Then The Giant Wasps Came
The odds were running high against the young Kohlrabi plants from the start. They were an impulse buy spurred on by my childhood memories of eating them raw and fresh peeled from my grandmother’s garden. I love Kohlrabi’s sweet cabbagey flavor. I’d never seen Kohlrabi for sale in our local […]
Forget Their Shoes — Ask and Listen!
The often quoted standard procedure for gaining empathy and understanding is to imagine ourselves in another person’s shoes. But recent research by Tal Eyal, Mary Steffel, & Nicholas Epley (2018) suggests that stepping into another’s shoes and taking their perspective isn’t enough. As psychologist Tal Eyal explained in a Quartz […]
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Book Review: THE REMOVES by Tatjana Soli
Wow. I could probably stop there, honestly, because that’s about all you need to know. But… I can’t do that because I loved this book too much not to talk about it. THE REMOVES by Tatjana Soli is an intense portrayal of yet another of America’s darkest periods of history. And […]
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Would Your Ideal Americans be — Honest, Kind, Strong, and Responsible?
These days, it is kind of hard not to believe the great American divide is all around us. As proof we are bombarded daily with endless examples of a society divided by class, race, gender, politics, finances… And not to dispute the many deep divisions that do exist, but — […]
Favorite Recipes Where Fresh Basil Shines
Basil is a herb that really shines when it’s fresh. Just think of a homemade marinara sauce with fresh basil and the flavor it imparts to the sauce. Beyond those familiar dishes we most associate with basil (tomato sauce, pizza, meatballs, Caprese salad), the herb can actually work wonderfully well […]
Here’s To Your Liberty And Mine
While your liberty and mine can take many different forms, may we ever embrace and strive towards an ideal of liberty where all people have the right, the power, and the ability to choose… “Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to our will within limits drawn around us by the equal […]
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Book Review: PECULIAR SAVAGE BEAUTY by Jessica McCann
In Jessica McCann’s PECULIAR SAVAGE BEAUTY you get a front-row view of the horrors of the American Dust Bowl. Your skin will sting with torrents of dust, your eyes will burn from the grit, your heart will race. Yes, you will feel for the jackrabbits escaping the biting dirt, and the […]
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FDR’s Words: ” Forests Are The Lungs Of Our Land “
The Dust Bowl was the worst drought in U.S. history, covering more than 75 percent of the country and affecting 27 states severely. The drought lasted nearly a decade, from 1930-1939. It’s impacts lasted decades longer. Topsoil from the drought lands were swept as far east as the Atlantic Ocean more […]
Book Review: THE WEIGHT OF INK by Rachel Kadish
THE WEIGHT OF INK by Rachel Kadish is one of those books that, when you close its covers upon reading the final pages, you know you’ve read something special. It is also the kind of book that, days later, sinks even deeper into your subconscious and makes you realize just […]
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Words To Live By: “Nature Brings Solace In All Troubles”
Within her diary, first published as THE SECRET ANNEX and later published as THE DIARY OF A YOUNG GIRL, Anne Frank expresses her belief in the healing power of nature — “amidst the simple beauty of nature…will always be comfort for every sorrow… nature brings solace in all troubles”: “The […]
Book Review: THE RIVER OF KINGS by Taylor Brown
Wow! What a fascinating book written with absolutely gorgeous, transporting prose. I tend to enjoy dual-period books, but THE RIVER OF KINGS by Taylor Brown actually is a rare treat in that it weaves a third period into the storyline, and does so expertly. The novel follows the stories of […]
Pondering The Possibilities: Repeal of Whopper Neutrality
Have you heard of “Net Neutrality”? What about “Whopper Neutrality”? Back in December of 2017, the Federal Communications Commission voted to overturn regulations mandating net neutrality. Net Neutrality was one of those things that too many of us took for granted or never gave much thought about its function […]