I love the feeling of coming out of a rut. The rhythms of life sometimes go stale. You find yourself preparing the same meals every week, going through the same routines, taking the same walk, doing the same chores. Then one day the whole world feels electric again, your brain buzzes with ideas, and you…
My husband and I allocate $10 to $20 of free money to ourselves each week. We call it “walking around money”. But I rarely see anything I need, so most weeks, mine ends up tucked away to be saved for later. I want to spend my money on something I’ll really value. But I’ve always…
This fall, my neighbor, an avid grower of corn, fertilized his backyard garden and pinned black plastic over it. A couple of days later, a few ducks showed up and stayed for the night. He surmised that from above they may have mistook it for a pond. The next evening more came. And then more….
I’m still astounded by how much harder it is to keep up a household with the addition of just one extra (very small) family member a year and a half ago. Maybe that’s because my son is a wizard at unfolding laundry, removing the contents from cabinets, and tucking away valuables in top-secret hiding spots?…
I’ve heard that most of us forget our resolutions sometime before Martin Luther King Day. But maybe we’re just making it too difficult? Living better often comes down to slowing down and keeping things simple. In that spirit, I’ll tackle a few common resolutions. My goal is to share the easiest, least expensive, most practical…
It’s almost a new year, which means many of us are engaging in a favorite American occupation – self help. As the promise of a fresh year approaches, we shop for new calendars and resolve to be better – to quit smoking, drink less, get organized, save money, start an exercise routine, eat more vegetables,…