Loving the Tuscan Sun
Tuscany, you have captivated me, and I don’t wish to be free. The tears started flowing standing beneath Frances Mayes’ house, Bramasole. I hoped she’d spy me from her window, invite me in and ask me to be her bosom friend. Frances Mayes She was the sole reason my family was sitting in a van, […]
A Moment in Provence
Just like a child eagerly anticipating Christmas with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads, we drove to Provence and I was giddy with anticipation. How could I not be? Provence was the object of my daydreams, the European promised land, the ultimate destination that inspired my love for France. It’s My Mom’s Fault It […]
Join the French Party
A Medieval town that seems untouched by time but that also offers the profound pleasure of endless shopping possibilities can be found nestled in the hills of the Perigord Noir region. Sarlat la Candida is a beautiful town constantly inundated by tourists in the south west of France. The tourists are right, Sarlat is worth […]
Once Upon a Time, She had New Eyes
Once upon a time, a French man took a quill in hand and became the father of the fairy tale. Charles Perrault, inspired by the magical towers and pinnacles of Chateau de Usse wrote, La Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty) in 1697. While visiting the Loire valley, home to endless chateau, I was stunned […]
Paris is Always a Good Idea
Bon Jour from France! After years of being a long-distance, hard-core Francophile, I’m discovering if my love affair was valid. My family and I are on a journey that I’ve been dreaming of for years. Five weeks, ten stops, and four countries will awaken new desires, form new loves and broaden our thoughts and minds. […]
Do you Need to Reboot?
As a homeschooling mom of five children I had many more stay-cations than vacations. Every summer when it was time once again to consider a trip to some fascinating place, we always chose to put the money toward some home repair or home recreation need. An above ground pool seemed a wiser choice that would […]
Hang On To Hope
I Survived! I did. I survived. As I shared in an earlier post, this is a year of “lasts.” It is my last year as a homeschooling mom. It is my last year as a mom to kids who are not adults. It is my last year that I am guaranteed that my twins will […]
Time Travel and Tradititions
The aroma of burning campfires is my portal to time travel. Yes, time travel is possible. I slip through the space time continuum every third weekend in September. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. As I open my eyes I gaze through the lingering haze of encampment smoke being pressed […]
10 Reasons to Love Detours
I love getting from point A to point B as quickly as possible. I want to reach my destination on the quickest route with no lolly-gagging allowed. However, this past weekend my husband accompanied me to a writer’s conference in North Carolina. As I took this trip I was fraught with purpose and determined to […]
I’m Sharing my Autumn Book for FREE
To cheer you up since summer is beginning to dwindle, I have a gift for you. I’ve decided to share 75 Seasonal Pleasures – Autumn, with you for FREE. “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.” L. M. Montgomery God knew that the only way we’d be willing to leave summer […]