It had been a while, Ohio. Seven years, in fact. Long enough ago that I still didn't own a smartphone that time; how I managed to find my way in the era of printed-out directions is somewhat of a miracle. (Have I mentioned that I'm directionally challenged?) But that time I had a co-pilot, a … Continue reading Oh Hi, Ohio
The Road to the Beach…and a Tree Full of Goats
Tomorrow begins a long weekend here in the US...so I think we can all guess where I'll be. The weather does not look exactly promising for a beach weekend to celebrate the unofficial start of summer...but it's still the beach. I'm not here to write about Rehoboth today. I think we all know by now … Continue reading The Road to the Beach…and a Tree Full of Goats
The Smell of Summer; the Sound of Bluegrass
On my way home tonight, I couldn't help but notice that the air reeked of summertime. I don't mean sunscreen, mowed grass, or even an impending thunderstorm. All I could smell was fried food. And it smelled fantastic. The smell of fried food recalls to mind the nostalgic idea of the county fair (I've been … Continue reading The Smell of Summer; the Sound of Bluegrass
The Land of Inns and Maple
I am usually an over packer. This weekend was not a particular exception. The problem was - I packed for a warm Mid Atlantic spring, and found myself in a cool, muddy, New England...almost-spring. And I was wearing strappy flat sandals. I hadn't been up to Middlebury, Vermont in 20 years (for once, not a … Continue reading The Land of Inns and Maple
For the love of chocolate
Ah, springtime. Flowers are coming out, the sun shines later, the weather...tries to change. And then it goes from 70 and sunny down to 40 and blustery in an instant...back to the type of weather where it's much more comfortable to be inside, under a blanket, with a good book. You know. Hot cocoa weather. … Continue reading For the love of chocolate
Finding the West Wind, On a Train
When was the last time you were on a train? How long of a ride was it? Being an East Coast girl born and raised, I always tended to think of the train as the best way to travel between Washington, D.C. and New York City, or between Washington, D.C. and various points in Maryland … Continue reading Finding the West Wind, On a Train
A Breath of Fresh Air
The seasons are starting to change on the Eastern Seaboard. The cherry blossoms are starting to bloom; but winter hasn't decided if it's fully done yet. But I love the coming of spring, with its promise of eventual summer. This time of year makes it easy to forget how quickly I complain about the heat and … Continue reading A Breath of Fresh Air
An Ode (of sorts) to Saint Christopher
From my limited understanding, Saint Christopher is a popular saint among travelers (among many others). I've heard stories of travelers carrying Saint Christopher medallions or placing small statuettes on the dashboard as protection on a journey. I've never been particularly religious - we went to Midnight Mass a few times. But I've given this Saint Christopher … Continue reading An Ode (of sorts) to Saint Christopher
Finding something off the beaten track…on the beaten track
Have you ever walked (or driven, or whatever) past something regularly, on your normal route somewhere? It's easy enough to do. I do it all the time. When it catches my eye the first time, I'll think to myself, "Oh cool. I'll need to go check that out." And invariably I forget until the next … Continue reading Finding something off the beaten track…on the beaten track
Did you notice the magic?
Charles Bukowski once wrote a poem called Nirvana. I discovered it many years ago via Tom Waits reading it on his Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers, and Saints album. I don't know what it is about this poem - but I've listened to Waits' recording over and over again, and like to pretend I've found some piece of it a … Continue reading Did you notice the magic?
Envie de Flaner 