April 15, 2013 • in Random Thoughts

The Return to America

I’d never been out of the country for three weeks before. I missed my kids like crazy and was happy to come home. But I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you my return was also tinged with a wrenching disappointment in America.

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April 12, 2013 • in Family

Breaking the Webs of My Weaving

by guest blogger Renee James. Several years ago, I referenced a poem, “A Wish for My Children” by Evangeline Paterson, in a column I wrote to mark the passage of time as my boys were growing up—living through those exploratory years that bridge the end of childhood and the beginning of adolescence. What I didn’t quite recognize at the time—even though the poem references it so beautifully—is that they were beginning grow stronger—and away from me—already. In my mind, we had so many more years together.

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April 11, 2013 • in Gardening

The Case for Heirlooms:
More than Just a Pretty Plate

by guest blogger Robyn Jasko. Growing heirlooms is a great way to preserve the flavor, sustainability, and legacy of these unique varieties for generations to come. Unlike hybrid plants, heirloom vegetables produce seeds that will grow into a variety identical to their parent plant. This means that if you grow heirlooms in your garden, you can grow your own seed supply and be completely self-reliant.

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April 10, 2013 • in Exploring

Sydney vs. Melbourne:
It’s Like Chalk and Cheese

My last day in Sydney was a day of utter perfection. When I finally got to the Icebergs ocean swimming pool on the beach at Bondi, I truly felt like I had reached the destination of my pilgrimage to Australia. Then I took an 11-hour train ride from Sydney to Melbourne. At first, after the gloriousness of Sydney, I was a bit bummed. But as I started walking and exploring, I started to see the deeper side of Melbourne, which is highly creative and artistic.

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April 09, 2013 • in Books & Movies

Spring Healing Through the Arts

by guest blogger Pam Peeke. Healers come in many forms, from traditional doctors and nurses to complementary practitioners like acupuncturists, yoga instructors, and massage therapists. There’s now plenty of science to show a whole range of positive benefits from regular use of each of these modalities. Flash-forward to the present and we’re witnessing the emergence of a whole new group of healers—artists.

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April 08, 2013 • in Maria Recommends

The Effortless Effort

I first heard that phrase when I was a teenager and was friends with an elderly mystic. I remember thinking at the time that it must be some weird, complicated spiritual thing of unknown origins. Being a teenager, I promptly forgot about it. It turns out it’s a Taoist concept known as wu wei. The basic concept is that if we align ourselves with our true nature, we live the way nature does—effortlessly.

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April 05, 2013 • in Books & Movies

Lean In and Lead With Swagger

by guest blogger Maya Rodale. I like to think that I’m one tough, empowered chick, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered that I was not, in fact, leaning in. This became apparent as I read Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead. It’s an excellent book that perfectly blends personal stories, research, and suggested solutions. It’s also a real eye-opener. As I read, I reviewed experiences in my own career and discovered that there were times when I did lean in (yay, me!) but there were also times when I pulled back.

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