Hi Reader, I don't know about you, but the second half of winter has felt much harder than the earlier days of the season. How is it that February - the shortest month of the year - often feels like the longest? I've found myself craving warmer temperatures and wishing for green sprouts in the garden. And while the high snow drifts along our shoveled walkway tell me spring is still a long way off, the subtle shift in daylight reminds me we're heading in the right direction. What to do during...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, The word "gentle" has come up in multiple conversations over the course of this past week. The desire for a gentle, slow start to the day. The need to be gentle with ourselves during periods of anxiety and grief. Treating someone with kindness and gentleness, even when it's hard. To go about something in a gentle way. I've learned a great deal about gentleness from taking care of our chickens. It doesn't matter how much of a rush I find myself in - when it comes time to grab each...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, How are animal tracks, fern leaf blankets, and acorn mugs of pine needle tea all connected? On my daily walks through the forest, I've been noticing all the little footprints in the snow. Animals of different sizes - foraging, gathering, hunting, seeking... living. Even in the middle of a quiet winter forest, there is such movement and life. Life at a slower pace. So slow, I've been able to daydream as my childhood self once did - of winter animals all nestled in with fern leaf...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, I hope this finds you cozy and warm, wherever you are — whether in the middle of the swirling snow we're experiencing here in Vermont or some place a little less "wintery" at the moment. We're only a week into 2025 and already life has presented a few little lessons and opportunities for reflection. Just this past Sunday I found myself standing up in front of everyone at my church, ready to play a song on my clarinet. What started as a gentle arrangement of a beautiful song,...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Dear Reader, Happy New Year's Eve! I hope this email finds you well here in the midst of the holiday hustle and bustle — and I hope you've been able to enjoy some peaceful moments in between the busyness of this season. It's the time of the year when many around us are focused on making plans and setting goals for the year to come. I don't know about you, but I often find myself feeling a bit rushed to jump forward. I tend to see this transition into a new year as a time to pause, reflect,...
4 months ago • 1 min read