One thing I really missed during the pandemic lockdowns was experiencing art in person. Now I’m ready to dive back in. Last week, I went to check […]
Aldona Bird
Lessons learned making caramel apples
Last week I had fun making caramel apples for my weekend DIY feature. This surprised me, as I’ve never enjoyed eating a caramel apple. I find myself […]
LaRocca’s artwork channels 80s, 90s pop culture
“Growing up, I knew I wanted to be an artist in some capacity,” Doug LaRocca told me. His path as an artist took him through college where […]
Factors lead to failed garden
This year my garden completely failed. I attribute its abysmal lack of success to several factors — pests (large and small), several family trips over the summer, […]
Bobcat sighting signals a return to writer’s land
When my family moved to Preston County in the mid-90s, we were enchanted by all the wildlife. We moved from the Baltimore suburbs, and these peaceful hills […]
Grape harvest yields all sorts of tasty treats
Two years ago I trimmed my family’s grape vines in the springtime before they broke dormancy. They had overgrown and needed management, and for the previous few […]
DIY: SCRUNCHIES
BY ALDONA BIRD They’re back — scrunchies are trendy yet again. This is great news for those nostalgic for the ‘90s, and those who like to tie […]
Flora, fauna familiar in Maine
Sometimes my mind boggles when I think on the number of plants, fungi, animals and insects inhabiting my slice of the world. Then I fall down a […]
Card game combines fun with learning
My family has never been much for games. Growing up, we occasionally played Monopoly, or even less occasionally, Scrabble or other games. I remember we had a […]
Black trumpet mushrooms nice surprise find
Last week, I went to the Core Arboretum Nature Connection Series and learned about research on the health benefits of forest bathing. The presenter explained forest bathing […]
