I sat on the front screened-in porch of Fox Island, curled up with a Fisherman’s Corner mug filled with tea and a blanket tucked around me, watching the golden marsh wave goodnight to the November sun. Inside, the woodstove emitted coziness and warmth as the choppy bay beneath slapped a hollow, comfortable rhythm against the … More GOODNIGHT FOX ISLAND
Summer trickles into our lives on warm breezes, bringing the rare simplicity and slowness of the season. We visit with friends often, eat more fruit, take the time for an evening beer on the porch, let our minds wander, and embrace the child-like energy that fills the balmy, sweet air. Nature is dressed in her … More PLASTIC FREE JULY
Dear Trader Joe’s, For years your food, creativity, prices, and positivity afforded me the best grocery shopping experience I had known. However, I will not shop at your stores anymore. Please allow me to explain. In honor of World Ocean’s Day on June 8th, my friends and I decided to participate in the Plastic Swear … More Dear Trader Joe’s
In The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway writes this of a poor, elderly Cuban fisherman, “He always thought of the sea as ‘la mar’ which is what people call her in Spanish when they love her.” In proper Spanish “the sea” is masculine- “el mar”. Grammar be damned. What a delicate way to … More LA MAR
I sat criss-cross-applesauce on the hard, tile cafeteria floor of my elementary school and stared, mesmerized by the lanky, bearded man with kind eyes on stage. Walkin’ Jim Stoltz’s voice rang out strong and clear as he sang in his gravelly voice, “Come walk with me.” A chorus of children’s voices melded together to copy … More A Kid for the Wild
My legs are glued with sweat to the sticky, plastic-covered bus seat, yet I am grateful to have a seat at all. I’m barreling down a bumpy highway in Nicaragua in a retired American school bus. I lean my head a little closer to the window to welcome the fresh air forcing itself inside and … More A PLASTIC LANDSCAPE
What sparks joy in your soul? Is it a favorite sweater that you wear every time you go skiing? Is it a photo book of your trip to Zion National Park that sits on your coffee table? Is it a Soda Stream on your kitchen counter that makes hydration more fun that you could have ever … More Tidying Up Responsibly
America is an esteemed and noble nation, filled with a splendid variety of unique citizens all sharing a love for this homeland. Yet now, more than ever, there is something bitter in the air of our country that I can’t quite name, but that I am confronted with daily. It comes in on a breeze … More The Great Divide
Throughout my life, most people have not regarded me as fashionable. To me, fashion has always been about more than runways and trends that go in and out faster than your wallet can keep up. I’ve always thought of fashion as a way to express myself, whether that makes me cool or uncool, or somewhere … More Beyond the Tag
Blacksburg in autumn is the stuff of myths. The crisp Virginia air crackles souls into awakening. The cerulean sky is a backdrop for the vibrant maroon, orange, and yellow leaves that dance off branches into the breeze. Backpack-clad students meander across the Virginia Tech Drillfield, encircled by scholarly, limestone buildings. To this day, the slightest … More THE DAHLIA MAN
Simple Sustainability 