Our Blog is here to help keep you informed about new local projects, concerns, and news events going on in Maine and the country.
CAREGIVING | HUMAN TRAFFICKING | FOOD | SPIRITUAL | BUILDING COMMUNITY
Topic ~ Caregiving
Forget the Resolutions. Let Go of the Past. Find Your Peace.
It has been years since I’ve bothered to make New Year resolutions. I’ve never been one to be interested in such a thing. I assume most people don’t keep them even if they make them because why else would there be so many out there claiming they can help you keep...
The Christmastime Story of The Little Match Girl
Every one of my favorite childhood stories seems to have the thread of compassion, helping those who have less, and looking for the upside when everything seems upside down. The Little Match Girl, by Hans Christian Anderson, first published in 1845 during Victorian...
Reminiscing about Father’s Day and Cooking
Father’s Day is June 20th. So I asked my Twitter followers if they remember their dad doing any cooking. As most men responded, I think there must be a special bond between dads and sons when it comes to cooking. Responses ranged from pancakes to barbeques. One man...
Topic ~ Human Trafficking
What’s at the Bottom of Your Teacup?
Tasseography, or tea leaf reading, is specialized fortune-telling done by interpreting patterns in leftover, used tea leaves. Tea leaf readers look for special patterns or symbols. My great-grandmother was a tea leaf reader. I didn’t know this until my teenage years...
Human Trafficking in US Agriculture
A few years ago, as I was doing my catalog Christmas shopping, I had a few questions, so I decided to call the company directly. Their customer service is excellent. As the representative was chatty, I imagine it must have been a slower evening. She asked me what I do...
Sustainable Seafood Summer Grilling
I’m sitting on my deck writing and working on a new product line. Words cannot adequately describe the commotion that is going on in my backyard! For several days blackbirds have been taking over the bird feeder. Only yesterday morning did I see them back down to a...
Topic ~ Food
County Fair Blue Ribbons and the Changing of Seasons
And just like that, summer collapsed into fall. – Oscar Wilde It would be honest to say that Oscar Wilde's words regarding fall are nearly my favorite way to describe how I feel about this particular change of the season. The others seem to be gradual, but it feels...
What’s at the Bottom of Your Teacup?
Tasseography, or tea leaf reading, is specialized fortune-telling done by interpreting patterns in leftover, used tea leaves. Tea leaf readers look for special patterns or symbols. My great-grandmother was a tea leaf reader. I didn’t know this until my teenage years...
Soil Gives Us Life
For the last eight years, I've been learning about topsoil erosion and preventive, regenerative agricultural practices as a means to understanding how our food is grown and how it relates to the plant-based eating vs. meat-eating discussion. The two instances driving...
Topic ~ Spiritual
Timeless Christmas Memories
Timeless Christmas Memories. They seem to flood our hearts when we least expect them and even when we call them up purposefully. What makes memories important? They connect us with our heritage, ancestors, and who we thought we were. Who are the memory keepers? What...
Grieving with Gratitude During the Holidays
During this holiday season of 2024, I have been remembering with gratitude the 2019 Thanksgiving season. It may seem odd to think of gratitude and grief going together hand in hand. But it can, and it should. My mother was in the hospital with her seventh heart...
A Pre-Christmas Gift-giving Love Story
It's been several months since I've written a blog post. I was writing but not publishing. If I were a Hallmark movie, I'd be chastised by my editor to meet a deadline, which I've never missed, but I'm not a Hallmark movie, so I paused. My mantra is "honor the pause."...
Thank you. Your Responses Have Been Recorded
Well! We are well into January 2024! Each week since Christmas has been cleverly marked by a snowstorm. Sometimes, several. At least, no doubt some entity, somewhere, thought it was clever. I wouldn't mind any of it if there were snow without rain. Considering the...
Topic ~ Building Community
Timeless Christmas Memories
Timeless Christmas Memories. They seem to flood our hearts when we least expect them and even when we call them up purposefully. What makes memories important? They connect us with our heritage, ancestors, and who we thought we were. Who are the memory keepers? What...
Grieving with Gratitude During the Holidays
During this holiday season of 2024, I have been remembering with gratitude the 2019 Thanksgiving season. It may seem odd to think of gratitude and grief going together hand in hand. But it can, and it should. My mother was in the hospital with her seventh heart...
A Pre-Christmas Gift-giving Love Story
It's been several months since I've written a blog post. I was writing but not publishing. If I were a Hallmark movie, I'd be chastised by my editor to meet a deadline, which I've never missed, but I'm not a Hallmark movie, so I paused. My mantra is "honor the pause."...
Thank you. Your Responses Have Been Recorded
Well! We are well into January 2024! Each week since Christmas has been cleverly marked by a snowstorm. Sometimes, several. At least, no doubt some entity, somewhere, thought it was clever. I wouldn't mind any of it if there were snow without rain. Considering the...