More Positive Than My Pup

It is a bright, warm day in my smallish backyard. The sun is shining, new grass has sprouted, squirrels and birds flit over and between bare tree branches. This is a wonderful place to while away a few hours — especially if you are a five-month-old puppy. There are sticks to chew on, a big, fullContinue reading “More Positive Than My Pup”

October 2020 Newsletter

Being Your Best On Thursday nights, my middle child has ballet classes and my youngest heads to soccer. Her dad drives her, staying to watch, and the dog goes along for a walk. Which leaves me completely, deliciously, unbelievably alone for a full hour-and-a-half. It seems crazy that I am so thirsty for this sip ofContinue reading “October 2020 Newsletter”

Being Your Best

On Thursday nights, my middle child has ballet classes and my youngest heads to soccer. Her dad drives her, staying to watch, and the dog goes along for a walk. Which leaves me completely, deliciously, unbelievably alone for a full hour-and-a-half. It seems crazy that I am so thirsty for this sip of quiet. But IContinue reading “Being Your Best”

September 2020 Newsletter

Grow Where You’re Planted I am interviewing small business owners for a magazine story I’m working on. As I listen, I marvel at how each of them is saying the same words to me when I ask how they decided to keep their doors open in March when state regulations and customer fears and a completelyContinue reading “September 2020 Newsletter”

Grow Where You’re Planted

I am interviewing small business owners for a magazine story I’m working on. As I listen, I marvel at how each of them is saying the same words to me when I ask how they decided to keep their doors open in March when state regulations and customer fears and a completely unknowable virus swept throughContinue reading “Grow Where You’re Planted”

July 2020 Newsletter

Opening Up to New Possibilities It is just before sunset and ribbons of bright orange streak through low puffy clouds. I am walking on a foot bridge across the breathtaking James River in downtown Richmond, Va. Water courses over barely visible boulders. Mama duck paddles her babies to a stand of weeds to search for bugs. An ospreyContinue reading “July 2020 Newsletter”

Welcome to Nourishing Stories

Nourishing Stories is my monthly email newsletter. It’s not a run-down of headlines or a list of items to buy, but a few minutes spent pondering the big questions, savoring some good writing and feeling inspired by delicious seasonal recipes. I’ve dabbled in a few newsletter formats over the years, but last February I stirredContinue reading “Welcome to Nourishing Stories”

Opening Up to New Possibilities

It is just before sunset and ribbons of bright orange streak through low puffy clouds. I am walking on a foot bridge across the breathtaking James River in downtown Richmond, Va. Water courses over barely visible boulders. Mama duck paddles her babies to a stand of weeds to search for bugs. An osprey dips and glides overhead. AContinue reading “Opening Up to New Possibilities”

June 2020 Newsletter

Learning to Listen For Lent one year, I thought hard about what would be a true sacrifice I could make during the season between Ash Wednesday and Easter. I was a young mother at the time, staying home with my children. There were so few things that were even mine to give up. I was not eating inContinue reading “June 2020 Newsletter”