This morning I escaped, slipping out the door in search of calm. When worry steals my breath, I often find it hidden in the trees, on the wings of birds, or waiting patiently for me along rocky shores. Where do you go when you need life to pour air back into your lungs? When you … Continue reading Seeking Calm
Nature
Second Snow
Last night's snow fell gently, coating each branch and berry in a sparkling, sugar cookie blanket of white. Though the flowers and leaves have disappeared, winter's backdrop unveils a skeletal beauty that summer disguises with its splendor.
California Wine Country
Oh Napa Valley, how I fell for you! Your sexy, curving roads thrilled. Your warm October breezes, heady with eucalyptus, rosemary, and grapes intoxicated. Your wine sated and delighted. And your food. Oh, your food! Each ingredient shining but not overpowering, casually lending just-yanked-from-the-garden character. And your insouciant beauty, from vista to vineyard lunch, aroused … Continue reading California Wine Country
Images from the Sail: Cape Elizabeth to Boston
We continued our journey from Casco Bay's Jewell Island to the bustling town of Freeport, where we spent an afternoon shopping, dining and stretching our sea legs. But this enjoyment proved to be short lived. I was anxious to return to more peaceful and unpopulated surroundings. Our next anchorage did not disappoint. Just off the … Continue reading Images from the Sail: Cape Elizabeth to Boston
Summer Sailing: Casco Bay’s Jewell Island
Our much anticipated summer sailing trip has come to a close. My daughter Hannah and I have returned home, exhausted yet exhilarated, with sun-kissed cheeks, giant seashells, and cameras full of images merely touching on the rocky coastal beauty of our Maine to Boston adventure. After an abysmal start to our trip (we arrived at … Continue reading Summer Sailing: Casco Bay’s Jewell Island
Cumberland Island
I just returned from four amazing days spent with my little sister (affectionately known as Little J) at her Florida beach house. On our last and best day, we took the ferry to a place I'd always longed to see: Cumberland Island, Georgia. Cumberland Island is a magical, chill inducing place. No bridge links the … Continue reading Cumberland Island
Sunday in the Gardens
Exploring Tarpaulin Cove
Our week of sailing with my cousin and his family was a fantastic adventure! After weathering a few crazy storms while moored in Red Brook Harbor, we sailed to Naushon Island, anchoring in idyllic Tarpaulin Cove. Hannah and her cousin Sasha immediately jumped on a paddle board and made their way to the island in … Continue reading Exploring Tarpaulin Cove
Sailing Away
This Sunday, my daughter and I leave the boys behind and head east for a sailing trip with our Connecticut cousins. We'll make our way from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard, then spend a long weekend in Edgartown. I've been eagerly anticipating this trip from the moment we planned it and can't believe it's actually … Continue reading Sailing Away
This Weekend: Best of the Fest Children’s Film Series and The Antiques & Garden Fair
Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the first installment of Best of the Fest Children's Film Series, produced by Chicago's Facets Multi-Media and presented at Gorton Community Center in Lake Forest. Milos Stehlik (pictured above), founder of Facets, travels the world to find films for children that engage, entertain, and empower. Last … Continue reading This Weekend: Best of the Fest Children’s Film Series and The Antiques & Garden Fair
the aesthete and the dilettante 