I first learned of the Japanese concept of Wabi Sabi many years ago. It is a tool for contemplation, or a philosophy of life, that finds beauty in things that are impermanent, imperfect, and incomplete. In other words, it’s the notion that patina; wear and tear; chips, cracks, and fissures; assymetry; flaws; and defects actually…
The ducks are flying low, black vees swooping between the trees. “Ga ga,” Ezra calls as they pass. He’s toddling along beside me. He weaves into a neighbor’s yard, and I reach for his hand to veer him back onto the sidewalk Ezra took his first solo steps this week at seventeen months old. Most…
*I’m taking the week off for my birthday. This post was originally published back in March. I’ll be back with new posts next week, including an update to the Hen Diaries. We’ve had some dramatic ups and downs in chicken-keeping lately, which I can’t wait to share.* Every year I used to buy a pocket…
If you’ve turned on a radio or television, picked up a newspaper, or logged onto the Internet in the last month, you know it’s flu season. Like many Americans you might be trying to decide whether you and/or your kids should get vaccinated against the H1N1 and seasonal flu this year. If you’re looking for…
I haven’t bought any shampoo or conditioner since the end of May. Don’t worry, I’m still washing my hair. but now I use baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Maybe you’ve heard of this “no-poo” thing already? It seems like everyone’s talking about it these days. Perhaps you’re still a tad skeptical? Trust me, so…
I used to run a few miles every morning. On the rare days I didn’t run, I swam laps, played tennis, hiked in the woods, or went on a bike ride. And I owned a library of yoga and pilates DVDs. These days I hardly even think about exercise, and the tennis rackets and workout…