I'm just trying to walk myself home.
Y’all, I’ve been walking in the early mornings and I found a red UK phone booth in a yard in my neighborhood. Right here in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Isn’t that crazy? I painted it as part of trying to stretch my creative muscles in a new way for Candace’s Moment Sketchers project. So fun. I …
A photo shoot at Argenta Market would not be complete without a few shots of us with our favorite cookbooks! I have entirely too many cookbooks. So it was hard to choose favorites, but here they are: My 6 Favorite Cookbooks! 1.The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman This one is the newest member of …
A few of my favorite reads of 2012 The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer The Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer The City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell Peace Like A River by Leif Enger The Fiddler’s Green by A.S. Peterson (sequel to The Fiddler’s …
After seeing Antoni Gaudi’s work in Barcelona, I have been reading books about him. I also found these two children’s books about Antoni Gaudi that I read to Simon and Ben about this amazing architect and his life. They both have beautiful illustrations of Gaudi’s work. I think it would be fun to use …
Apparently, I’m reading all books called Mockingbird this month. There was that delightful book that Mary Polly brought home called Mockingbird. Then my friend, Donna, gave me Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee. Are there anymore? Because they seem to be a safe bet for a good read. To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely next. …
My favorite valentine is a book of course. And because the outpouring of sweets is abundant at school, I give my kiddos books for valentine’s as well. This year Cole is getting Inkheart, Mary Polly a new Ivy and Bean, Ben a new My Weird School and Simon a new Mr. Putter. In case you …
A Story about Reading Children’s Christmas Books Thursday night after yoga I went to a bookstore and sat in the children’s section for a long time with a pile of newly published Christmas books for children. I do this every year. Well, every year since I worked in a bookstore in Deerfield, Illinois while Taido …
Return to the Portuguese Camino: Thank you for the music. I welcomed spring this year with a beautiful week on the Portuguese Camino. We walked a trail that is familiar to me, from Porto to Valença. We made it to the border between Portugal and Spain, and then we crossed into Spain just to say …
Snapshots of Andalucía I first visited Andalucía in September of 2024. I already knew from hiking the Camino that I love Spain. Whenever I arrive in Spain, I immediately want to pull up a chair and stay a while. If I am on a walk in Spain, I can’t pass a vende sign without stopping …
After the delights of Porto and walking the Portuguese Camino, I knew I wanted MORE TIME in Portugal. The next walking adventure I planned in Portugal was the surprisingly perfect Rota Vicentina! In fact I have spent so much time documenting the Rota Vicentina on this blog that I have neglected my city visits to …
Snapshots of Provence: A Journey to The South of France I can’t remember when I first started wanting to visit Provence. It might have been in college when we watched La Gloire de Mon Pere in French class. Or maybe it was earlier, when my grandmother introduced me to Vincent Van Gogh through paintings of …
2025 Favorites Happy New Year! I have not done a favorites list for the last several years, and I miss having the record for myself, especially as I’ve quit using the platforms that keep up with these records for me. So in addition to some favorites from 2025, I will throw in a highlight or …
Here’s what I tell folks when they ask me how to plan a Camino. I often receive emails with questions about how to plan a Camino or about the Camino in general. There is A LOT to know about the Camino. There are over 200 recognized Camino routes. I have barely scratched the surface of …
A Wee Walking Update: 2022 has already been an amazing year of walking! In addition to the gorgeous walks we do around here on the weekends, I have walked The Cotswold Way in England and The Portuguese Camino in Portugal and Spain! And the year of walking is not over yet. Next week we are …
The Uncertainty of Travel: A Crash Course in Dealing With the Unknown The willingness to relinquish control and open ourselves to the mysterious unknown is at the heart of every great spiritual tradition. -Douglas Christie Imagine you and I were having chats together over pints and the conversation turned to travel. …
Snapshots of Rainy Siena, Italy: A Few Days in the Heart of Tuscany It’s been three years since I wandered a hilltown in Italy by myself. My trip to Orvieto and Assisi was well before I watched with the rest of the world as Italy was ravaged by a pandemic, a memory that is clearly …
The first time I visited the Lake District with my family, it rained for almost all of the three days we were there, and I still drove away madly in love and scheming about when I could get back. The bright green, grass-covered trails and lakes surrounded by autumn colors left me wanting more, despite …
2021 Favorites Happy New Year from our new home! We ended 2021 by moving back to the UK. It’s been a bit of a flurry, but now we are in our new home in Bristol, quarantining and waiting for our shipment of stuff to arrive. Our house is currently empty except for a couple of …
The Ouachita Trail: Winding Stair to Queen Wilhelmina State Park 26.5 miles 2 days Some rain, some sun and… Many River Crossings DAY 4 14 miles to a spot in the woods where we collapsed. (close to Mile Marker 39) We woke up to a gorgeous fog covering the whole world around us. Thankfully, it …
Part 1 of the Ouachita Trail: Talimena State Park to Winding Stair Mountain 25 miles 3 days Sun, Rain, Wind and Fire DAY 1 9.3 Miles to Rock Garden Shelter On the last day of November, on the Beaver Full Moon, my friend Kandace and I loaded up in my parents’ car and drove from …