Dec 10, 2015

The Pleasure of Winter

The Pleasure of Winter This long extended fall has us fooled that winter will never come, but the cold in the air at night tells me it’s just around the corner. I revel in how each season has its own unique pleasures – a pleasure that is gleaned by the surrender to what is. The pleasure of winter for me is that it calls me inward. Read more >

Aug 25, 2015

The Pleasure of Companionable Weather Spirits

Sometimes we think pleasure is a complicated thing. Do I have time to take some pleasure? Do I ‘deserve’ to do what feels good? Shouldn’t I work more before I take some pleasure? But when you enter the natural world and you gear down your mind, you’ll find pleasure couldn’t be simpler. My five days on a canoe camping trip last month helped me understand this simplicity. Read more >

Aug 19, 2015

The Sky is Your Roof

Last month I spent five days canoe camping with my 28-year-old daughter on a lake in the Canadian wilds. Enjoying the pleasure of time spent in nature is something we share in common. And how great it was to get five whole days with one’s adult child! Quickly we settled into a lovely rhythm of cooking, eating, swimming, paddles, reading in our quiet spots in the hammock or stretched out on a rock, naps, campfires with music or close conversations, more naps and paddles. Just what such times should be about. Read more >

May 27, 2015

Pleasure in Connecting in Nature

It’s spring here in the North Country and while every season has its delights, spring holds a particular enticement… no more heavy coats and boots, the warmth of the sun on your skin, you can sit outside in the evening. Like the plants in my garden, I seem to be sprouting too. I’m a beekeeper and spring means visiting the hives and getting them ready for the season. Winter covers come off, bottom boards cleaned, checking to see if the bees have enough food for the weeks that remain before the plants start to blossom. Read more >