England and Scotland by Foot, Car, Family and Friends

Sometimes travels take us in delightful ways that we had not considered, and when we hop a train or climb a hill, the destination is a sweet surprise like a frosty rootbeer float on a hot summer day. The nooks and crannies in the U.K. most certainly offer those delights. If you are lucky enough …

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Courage = With Heart

Courage is a common word in my house. I mean courage in the Latin-sense of the word, cor-with heart.   Courage with heart is about perseverance and thoughtfulness. It is about finding a moral compass within yourself, and acting with kindness in the direction.  It is about avoiding rash, unproductive or irrational behavior in order to …

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Keeping it Real

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. ~Kahlil Gibran Sean Eric Today is my youngest brother's birthday. It is the second year I have marked the occasion without him. It is a day that almost feels suspended in time, a space where, for a moment, I cannot move. …

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Even in harsh conditions, we thrive

White Sands National Park Sometimes living in the desert I am struck by how harsh the living conditions are. Just a few miles up the Sandia Mountains on the outskirts of Albuquerque, the landscape is dry and hot, filled with cacti and rattlers. It is not a hike for the faint at heart, or those …

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The rural urbanite (or urban ruralite), and loving it.

In the last year I haven't written on this blog very much. I have been collecting lots of images and stories to post, but my family and I have been gathering our strength (and our belongings) for new adventures that have taken much of our focus, spirit and strength. Transitions are time consuming endeavors. Often …

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Cultivating presence in DIY

Fence. Completed. We believe in DIY in our household. There is almost nothing that we can't do on our own. If we don't know how to do it, we ask someone for help. That person is usually our neighbor because we all believe that he knows how to do everything. Sometimes we just have to …

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