I am a board member of a few non-profit groups. I look for ones to which I have something to offer, but also ones that I have something to learn from. I am lucky in that I can afford to be generous, but honestly, it’s harder to be generous with my time than with my […]
Inspiration
Live from Harrisburg
1:06 pm Here I am at Pennsylvania’s “Best 50 Women in Business” event. In the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel, it sounds remarkably like a romance writer’s convention (excited women, spring birds chirping…). I don’t know anyone here, so it’s much easier to blackberry blog than to engage–though I guess I’m going to have to engage at […]
10 Easy Ways to Talk with Your Daughter about Sex
I have three girls—one who is grown, one who is just going through puberty, and one who is almost 3—and I am a firm believer in talking about sex. My husband and I both came from families where that didn’t happen well…OK, at all. And we were left to our own devices, which is NEVER a good thing when you are a kid. I never want my girls to feel as ignorant and underprepared as I was. Because whether we like it or not, our daughters turn into young women with sexual feelings, and if we love them, we want their experiences to be positive, love-filled ones. Ignorance makes it easier for young girls to be taken advantage of. And these days, unprepared sex can lead to all sorts of diseases and death, in addition to lifelong trauma. And while a vaccine like the HPV shot makes it seem like our girls are safe, not only are there risks associated with the vaccine, it only covers one small aspect of their sexual safety.
My Day at the USDA
Maria goes to Washington…again. 7:20 am This time it’s at the request of the Secretary of Agriculture himself! I will be attending a forum for expanding people’s gardens across America and the world! Not sure what that really means, but even though they got my job title and address wrong, I wouldn’t miss this for […]
5 Reasons to Travel Now…If You Can
I know we all want to hunker down and stay home. But in the last 3 weeks I have traveled quite a bit more than usual—mostly for business—and it reminded me that travel is especially important in down times. Here’s why: 1. Deals abound. There are a lot of great rates and promotions right now, […]
Why I Love Country Music
I am a latecomer to the country music scene. I grew up on progressive radio and worked my way through all the alternative and pop scenes—always keeping an edge and never going straight into the mainstream. I was milk-fed on Jackson Browne (and he will always feel like home to me). But I bought the […]
What the Hex?!
You may be wondering about my beautiful logo at the top of the page. It’s a hex sign. What’s a hex sign? It’s a traditional form of decorative art of the Pennsylvania Dutch (who aren’t Dutch at all, but German immigrants) and it’s got a mysterious past. In its most innocent form, a hex sign […]
Natural Products Expo West, Day 2
7:53 am (Pacific Time) Oh my gosh, I’m more excited than I thought I would be. The hall isn’t open yet, but in the lobby there is an exhibit of new products, and I can’t wait to try all of them! Here’s a brief list: To-Go Ware stainless steel food containers. Kiss My Face lip […]
Scratch
Raised on America’s first organic farm, Scratch author Maria Rodale learned how to make everyday favorites from, yes, scratch — the way you remember them; the way they turn out best.
Order NowOrganic Manifesto
Drawing on findings from leading health researchers as well as conversations with both chemical and organic farmers from coast to coast, Maria Rodale irrefutably outlines the unacceptably high cost of chemical farming on our health and our environment.
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