Frazzled? Stressed? Tired? Try taking a walk

Yesterday, we went on a walk to "reset" a bad morning. The palm trees were rustling in the breeze, the water was rippling, the birds were singing. An alligator swam towards the shore, so we scooted along the path a little faster. Vultures were soaring in the sky above, scooping down right over our heads, and then taking off again. “Come back, birds!” Catherine was calling. We passed the bridge where there are usually fish, but the water is really low this time of year and we couldn't see any swimming. There was a set of desolate trees with a group of crows in and around them, calling out with their grim caw. It seemed like the opening shot of a horror film.

Being out in nature has a way of resetting your attitude, of helping you put things back in perspective. 

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Family Recipes: road trip & hiking snacks

As I mentioned in my last post, we recently took a family vacation up north to New Hampshire. The White Mountains specifically were my family's vacationing destination growing up. We went there every summer we could. A couple years, we did winter vacations instead. Philip and I went by ourselves in October when expecting Edith, right at the start of gorgeous autumn foliage. But going in November was quite a different experience.

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Dried Flowers: Capturing Summer's Beauty

My mother-in-law has grown flowers in the backyard for some time now. Throughout the spring and summer, the family grows accustomed to beautiful cut flower arrangements brightening the home. This year I wanted to see if I could prolong our enjoyment of flowers into the cooler months.

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