All The Home Forum
What traveling without a plan taught me about serendipityTraveling without a plan or guidebook may seem radical. It鈥檚 my way of preserving the serendipity and romance of adventure.
I plead quilty: Why I inflicted a madcap, modern spin on an old-fashioned artIn an era of mass consumption, our writer reminds us of the forgotten art of creating something from scratch.
A 鈥榃alden鈥� way of seeing the world: How I found calm in Thoreau鈥檚 wordsDuring anxious times, I found inspiration in Thoreau鈥檚 classic 鈥淲alden.鈥� Here are my four mindfulness takeaways.
My first job kindled heartache 鈥� and hard lessonsAs I discovered during my first job at the tender age of 12, the old adage is true: Experience really is the best teacher.
An invitation to celebrate, console, connect 鈥� it鈥檚 tea-o鈥檆lockWhat鈥檚 lost in a society that prizes productivity? The sweetest moments are found when we slow down and take time for tea.聽
My summertime rite of passage? Picking buckets of berries (with bears).Summers past were reserved for picking berries with bears,聽a snapshot of central Pennsylvania summer idyll.聽
She needed a notary. How a Holocaust survivor became a friend.A routine notary task blossomed into a beautiful friendship with my neighbor Ann, a Holocaust survivor.聽
The grass wasn鈥檛 greener 鈥� turning my lawn into a garden ate my time and freed my mindSo what if my turf-free lawn is labor-intensive? The zen I find puttering in my garden is priceless.聽
Empty nest, full heart: My adventures in cat-sittingWhen my kids flew the coop, I turned to cats. It turns out caring for cats is a lot like parenting adolescents.聽
A potato masher, didgeridoo, and, uh, six vacuums. Why I rescue trash.Rescuing, repairing, and reusing abandoned items is a lost art and a boon to the environment. It can also spark unexpected adventures.
A love letter to lilacs and the joys of fleeting pleasureThe mission to capture my lilac鈥檚 fleeting scent was a flop. What I gained instead was far greater: a reminder to be present during its brief season.聽
Behind the verse: Six Monitor poets share why they write poetryIt鈥檚 no secret that poetry is one of the least lucrative forms of writing. So what keeps poets returning to write poems? We asked six contributors where they draw their inspiration.
In cleaning up my corner of the world, I reclaimed my trust in othersAs we stooped down to pick up litter, my neighbors and I rose above our partisan differences.
Gardening lessons: Planting hope and harvesting peace of mindGardening was a central part of my grandma鈥檚 life. Her pleasures were simple: She found a storehouse of riches in her backyard garden.聽
鈥業f you want to be happy for the rest of your life,鈥� keep a bottomless bucket listAs we searched for elusive flora and fauna, I learned that joy isn鈥檛 in the discovery 鈥� it鈥檚 in the quest.
What my adopted sons from Russia and Ukraine taught me about trustIn journeying with a stranger to a new life in a new land, my boys showed immense trust 鈥� and taught me that it flows both ways.
Where the ribbit meets the road: My adventures in frog shuttlingHelping others 鈥� even amphibians 鈥� helps us. Our writer learns, it鈥檚 impossible to fixate on your own concerns while focusing on alleviating those of others.
Zen and the art of automotive maintenanceWhat do you get when four of five children reach driving age? A collision course in car chaos.聽
Back of the box recipes from Great-Grandma? Family treasure.I longed for sentimental family heirlooms 鈥� until I learned that pragmatism is inheritance, too.聽
The unexpected bounty of winter gardeningIn nature and in life, some seasons, like winter, are less celebrated. Under the surface, however, lies growth.聽
