Sunlight shines on evergreens browning. River rushes on below. This entry for the Between photo challenge is in honor of my husband’s favorite tree, the eastern hemlock, which is suffering widespread death in the Appalachians due to an exotic insect, the Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). Where 20 years ago we ran our hands over hemlocks’ … Continue reading Between love and sorrow
This is where I walk each morning, listening to my favorite podcasts. Pretty isn’t it? This is my entry for the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge: On the Move. Continue reading Where I walk
On February 1, 2014, my husband had an itch to hike the woods around Pandapas Pond. It was a sunny, 50 degree Saturday after two weeks of sub-freezing temperatures, and we had seen pictures in the paper of folks skating and ice fishing on the pond. I asked if the kids and I could ride along. … Continue reading Walking on ice: a story in three pictures
One of my favorite things about winter in the Appalachians is the juxtaposition of green against white. Whether moss, lichen, rhododendron, or fern, there is something hopeful about green vegetation pushed up against a fresh white snow. It reminds me of the persistence of life, despite harsh conditions. I also love winter in Appalachia for … Continue reading Nature as ice sculptor
Mom’s red and white checked cookbook was falling apart even when I was a child. Every time she pulled it off the shelf, which was nearly every day, tattered pages would spill out, their binder holes torn, and she’d shove the sheets back in before thumbing to the recipe she wanted. The gingham cover was … Continue reading That red and white checked cookbook
I was planning to run my first bike/run combo today, which is called a “brick” in triathlon lingo, because your legs feel like bricks when you try to run after riding a bike. But when I checked the forecast yesterday, it called for thunderstorms all day today, with an extra special treat of severe weather … Continue reading ¿Come se dice “kickass” en español?
Butterfly Mind 