I stumbled upon these in the grocery store. They look like mini kiwis, minus the fuzz. They’re about the size of a big grape. They taste just like a kiwi, without the big seeds. They are very grape-like in texture. They are easier to eat than a kiwi. No peeling. Just pop them in your mouth. My daughter loves these!

I stumbled upon these in the grocery store. They look like mini kiwis, minus the fuzz. They’re about the size of a big grape. They taste just like a kiwi, without the big seeds. They are very grape-like in texture. They are easier to eat than a kiwi. No peeling. Just pop them in your … Read more →

My husband was recently out of town for 10 days. Being a single mom kept me busy, but I found the evenings and weekends very long. I used this time to tackle some home projects. I cleaned out the fridge and pantry. I cleaned the inside of the dishwasher (possibly the nastiest job ever). I put away the Halloween decorations and got out the Thanksgiving decorations. I washed the duvet cover. I grocery shopped. Several times. I decided the dog was no longer going to be allowed to eat poop outside, which meant he could only go out on the leash. You get the picture – it was a long 10 days.

A job that needed doing was my top desk drawer. I spend most of my time at my computer desk and my regular desk is mostly for storage and stacking. The only time I use it is to write bills. As a result, the center drawer was a hodgepodge of notepads, pens, paper clips, old insurance cards, rubber bands, and a few treasures. I tackled it on a Sunday afternoon, first emptying everything out.

I tested all the pens and threw out those that didn’t write (a surprising number!). The remaining pens went into two narrow plastic organizing trays.

I threw out the numerous business cards that were lurking. I purged the notepads tearing off pages that had been written on and throwing out those that were crumpled, ripped, or useless (like the pens, there was a surprising amount of junk). I did the same with the post-it notes. I stacked the notepads and post-its in an organized way so I will be able to grab them when I need them.

The paper clips were sorted by size (big and little) and placed in two paper clip holders (after I undid the paper clip necklace a child made at some point). The binder clips were placed at the front of the drawer. The rubber bands were removed and put in a plastic bag in another office drawer since I never use them. I gazed longingly online at some cute ways to organize all of this, but I don’t have room in my drawer for china teacups, muffin tins, or pottery bowls. The most efficient use of space was boring office paper clip holders!

I realized I have not one, not two, but three staple removers. Those got tucked in the front corner. I also have two rulers, which fit nicely against the front of the drawer.

I did discover a couple of treasures: several of those pennies you flatten in machines to be souvenirs of places you visit. I came across a wooden coin from a horse riding stable we visited in Colorado. And a very weird strand of beads I got as a product sample once: it’s supposed to be used a fertility/cycle tracker with different colored beads for different parts of the cycle. That one got stuck in another drawer: maybe someday there will be grandchildren who will want to play with some colored beads. I found the instruction manual for my office phone – maybe I can finally figure out how to change some of the settings!

I think I will now finally be able to find a pen, post-it or paper clip when I need it without a lot of digging.

My husband was recently out of town for 10 days. Being a single mom kept me busy, but I found the evenings and weekends very long. I used this time to tackle some home projects. I cleaned out the fridge and pantry. I cleaned the inside of the dishwasher (possibly the nastiest job ever). I … Read more →

This is a great quick weeknight dish that feels a lot more fancy than it is. It is from November Cooking Light (with a few tweaks).

Chicken Saltimbocca

4 chicken cutlets (I used two chicken breasts, which I cut with my knife parallel to the cutting board to make two pieces of the same size, but thinner)

salt and pepper to taste

12 fresh sage leaves

4 ounces thin proscuitto  – 8 slices (the recipe calls for 2 ounces, I used 4)

olive oil

1/3 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp cornstarch

Place two slices of prosciutto on a cutting board, next to each other. Place a chicken cutlet on top, intersecting the pieces. Lay 3 sage leaves on top of the cutlet. Wrap the prosciutto up onto the top of the cutlet. Repeat for all cutlets. Heat the pan with some olive oil. Season the cutlets with salt and pepper and place seam up in the pan. Cook about 5 minutes on medium heat, then flip. Continue cooking until they reach 165 degrees. Remove from pan. Mix chicken broth, lemon juice, and cornstarch together then pour into the hot pan, scraping up bits stuck to the pan. Stir until the sauce thickens then pour over the chicken.

The leftovers are fantastic the next day in a salad or on a sandwich. This would also be good with a teaspoon of Dijon mustard added into the sauce. It’s super simple, but looks really pretty with the sage leaves under the prosciutto.

This is a great quick weeknight dish that feels a lot more fancy than it is. It is from November Cooking Light (with a few tweaks). Chicken Saltimbocca 4 chicken cutlets (I used two chicken breasts, which I cut with my knife parallel to the cutting board to make two pieces of the same size, … Read more →

The only time I make beef Stroganoff is when I have leftover beef. It’s actually one of my husband’s favorite dishes. This version is so simple, easy, and quick, you won’t believe it!

Beef Stroganoff from Leftovers

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp olive oil

6-8 ounces sliced white or baby bella mushrooms

salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp flour

2 1/2 cups beef broth

10 ounces thinly sliced beef (I had leftover sirloin roast this time, but I have used strip steak, filet, and other cuts of meat: the key is to slice this as thinly as possible and cut off all fat and gristle)

1/4 cup light sour cream

pinch of nutmeg

Use a deep skillet for this recipe. Saute the onion in the olive oil over medium high heat until it softens and begins to brown. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 2 tbsp flour (I used gluten free flour and added 1 tsp cornstarch) and cook for one minute. Add beef broth and stir until combined. Cook for a few minutes, until it begins to thicken. Stir in the beef. Cook until heated through. Taste it for seasoning and add more salt and pepper as needed. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Serve over cooked egg noodles (a 16 oz bag is right for this recipe). Note that I used fusilli this time because gluten free egg noodles do not seem to exist. This serves 4.

You can adjust this recipe a couple of ways:

– If you have leftover chicken, use that instead of beef and use chicken broth instead of beef broth.

– If you don’t have 10 ounces of beef, add in more mushrooms to compensate.

– If you don’t have sour cream (or don’t want to use it), stir in plain yogurt instead.

– If you have leftover cooked mushrooms, by all means, use those instead and just skip the step of cooking the mushrooms down.

– If this recipe creates leftovers, and you don’t want to reheat it (I find the beef gets a bit tough when reheated in the microwave), you can just freeze it. The next time you make beef stew, dump it in. You can also puree the leftovers and add to beef stew that way.

The only time I make beef Stroganoff is when I have leftover beef. It’s actually one of my husband’s favorite dishes. This version is so simple, easy, and quick, you won’t believe it! Beef Stroganoff from Leftovers 1/4 cup chopped onion 2 tbsp olive oil 6-8 ounces sliced white or baby bella mushrooms salt and … Read more →

Our project this month was chosen by Sara at Sassy Suppers and was in Oct Living – Orecchiette. I remember when the magazine came I paged past this and thought “yeah, right.” Then it was chosen as our project. And, as I posted last week, I learned I am gluten intolerant. I almost didn’t make it, but I decided that I really have to be brave when it comes to gluten-free substitutions, so I went for it. The recipe is really basic. It uses semolina flour, all purpose flour, salt and water. I thought long and hard about this and poked around on the internet to see how to make GF pasta at home. So I ended up substituting Bob’s Red Mill GF flour for the semolina. It’s a really yellow flour and has things like chickpea flour in it. I used Cup4Cup GF flour for the AP flour and I added an egg to the recipe to hold it all together (and reduced the water to compensate). It worked!

I made half a batch and had no problems working with the dough at all. I made this on a Sunday morning. I was so sure it would be a disaster, I didn’t save the pasta for dinner and had about half of it myself for lunch. I made a simple preparation to dress it: I cooked one piece of chopped bacon. I removed the cooked bacon and added one chopped scallion, salt and pepper, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1/4 cup peas to it. I had some leftover cooked winter squash, so I scooped out a couple of tablespoons of that and mixed it in. I tossed it with the pasta and added Parmesan cheese. It was really, really, really good!

I have made fresh pasta myself only once (see Pici of You Know Whatti) and it was a total disaster. This was easy and I can actually see making it again in the future!

December’s project was chosen by Pru and is Golden Pear Cream Puffs.

Our project this month was chosen by Sara at Sassy Suppers and was in Oct Living – Orecchiette. I remember when the magazine came I paged past this and thought “yeah, right.” Then it was chosen as our project. And, as I posted last week, I learned I am gluten intolerant. I almost didn’t make … Read more →

We first had bison (also called buffalo) burgers on a trip to Colorado. We really loved the taste. My grocery store has been carrying ground bison for a while, so I decided to make them myself.  The bison I bought is uncertified organic (which means they follow standards, but have not yet been certified).  Bison meat is lower in fat and cholesterol, but higher in protein than beef.

I made bison burgers with the bison from our grocery store. It looks almost exactly like hamburger. The taste is very close as well, but it tastes a tiny bit gamier, has a cleaner flavor, and also it always seems to have a hint of grassiness to that I notice when I buy milk from grass-fed cows. I like both of those flavors as do others in my family. We will likely be buying more bison in the future.

Have you tried bison?

We first had bison (also called buffalo) burgers on a trip to Colorado. We really loved the taste. My grocery store has been carrying ground bison for a while, so I decided to make them myself.  The bison I bought is uncertified organic (which means they follow standards, but have not yet been certified).  Bison … Read more →

Our US map

I’ve got a thing for maps. I grew up looking at the world map my grandfather kept next to the pool table in the basement that tracked all of my grandparents’ travels (they went to every continent but Antartica). I used to look at all the lines on that map (my grandfather drew lines, tracing every trip they took) and imagine myself following them. I wanted to see every single place they had been and more. That cherished vintage map now hangs on our basement stairs and I think of them every time I go past it. It is one of my most special possessions.

My grandparents’ map

Lately I’ve been drooling over the maps I saw in catalogs – world maps or US maps, framed and meant to put thumb tacks in for every place you’ve visited. But they start at about $170 (minimum  – many are over $200). Which seemed pretty ridiculous for a map. So I made my own.

I ordered a 36×24 map from Amazon for about $5. I actually got both a world map and a US map (it’s hard to fit a lot of pins close together on the US in the world map, so we did both maps so we could show every place we’ve been in the US). Look carefully at the colors on the map. I ordered one world map only to realize it was mostly pink which just looked ridiculous in the room I wanted to hang it in.

Go to your local office store and buy a piece of foam board that is at least 36×24 (about $10). Go to Michael’s or JoAnn’s when frames are on sale and buy one you like that will fit a 36×24 map (mine was about $30).

Our world map

Take the glass out of the frame and use it as a template on the foam board. Cut the foam board with a utility knife.

Make sure the map actually fits on the foam board (I had one map that was supposed to be 26×24 but in reality was a few inches smaller).

You can either lay the map on the foam board and place the frame over it to hold it in place, OR you can use a spray adhesive to spray the board and attach the map to it. It really depends on how secure your map feels without the adhesive. I did one each way. It’s much easier if you aren’t using the adhesive, but your frame might not be tight enough to keep the map from buckling without it. Do not put the glass in the frame!

Hang it on the wall. Buy colored map pins to mark every place you’ve visited. We decided that we would put a pin in every place we had stayed in overnight together. For cruises we marked each port of call.

You just saved yourself at least $130! This also makes a nice gift. I made one for my parents.

I’ve got a thing for maps. I grew up looking at the world map my grandfather kept next to the pool table in the basement that tracked all of my grandparents’ travels (they went to every continent but Antartica). I used to look at all the lines on that map (my grandfather drew lines, tracing … Read more →

I have tons and tons of carrots from our CSA. So, I’ve been looking for new ways to use them. When I felt as though I could not eat plain carrots, raw carrots, roasted carrots, or carrot ginger soup one more time, I came up with this recipe.

Crunchy Carrot Casserole

6 cups carrots sliced 1/2 inch thick

2 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

4 tbsp heavy cream

2 tsp olive oil

1/4 tsp onion powder

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp brown sugar

dash nutmeg

1 cup crushed Rice Chex cereal

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 9 inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Boil the carrots until they are almost tender enough to eat. Drain. Add back to the pot and mix in all ingredients except the cereal. Stir to mix completely. Place in baking dish. Sprinkle the cereal on top and spray the top with cooking spray. Bake for about 20 minutes until the topping starts to brown.

I love the flavor of the mustard with the carrots and the brown sugar gives it a tiny hint of sweetness. The topping gives it a nice crunch (and is gluten free). You can assemble this ahead if you like and pop it in the oven 20 minutes before you want to eat, which makes it great for the holidays.

I have tons and tons of carrots from our CSA. So, I’ve been looking for new ways to use them. When I felt as though I could not eat plain carrots, raw carrots, roasted carrots, or carrot ginger soup one more time, I came up with this recipe. Crunchy Carrot Casserole 6 cups carrots sliced … Read more →

I’ve had good news and bad news recently. The good news is that some health issues that had been plaguing me for a long time have finally been solved and eliminated. The bad news is that it turns out I am gluten and lactose intolerant. Now these two things are not the end of the world and it’s great to be able to heal myself by changing what I’m putting in my mouth. (And I have to credit my acupuncturist who is also trained in Oriental medicine for getting me to go gluten and lactose free, when my gastroenterologist was dismissive of my symptoms. She suggested it to me over and over for months and I finally wisened up and did what she suggested and got immediate relief.)

It was very hard to accept this initially, however. To think I can never buy a croissant, have dumplings at a Chinese restaurant, quickly grab a sandwich while on the go, eat fried chicken in a restaurant, eat Christmas cookies at a party, have a slice of birthday cake at someone’s house, enjoy a peanut cream donut from my favorite donut shop, sample things at bakeries, or have a pretzel at the mall was really hard to accept. I also felt like I had personally lost part of my heritage. Cooking and baking are important parts of who I am and my connection with my parents and grandparents. I cherish my grandmothers’ recipes and feel so in touch with them when I bake with them. Those recipes will never be quite the same for me now. This also makes it hard to eat at other people’s houses. I’ll have to explain in advance, be suspicious of how well they understand what gluten is (it’s in lots of things you wouldn’t expect and isn’t always called wheat or gluten), and find ways to eat without being rude, while keeping myself from getting sick.

I can handle certain dairy products with the help of Lactaid, so that’s a pretty easy work-around. However, there is no quick fix for gluten, other than avoiding it and substituting for it. So, I’m looking at this as an opportunity to spread my wings. I have been trying different gluten-free flours and I’ve also brought home lots of gluten free products. Some are horrible. Some are really good. Some are just ok. Cooking with gluten free flour mixes is a challenge. Recipes never turn out quite the way you are used to. I made blond brownies and they cooked much faster than they should. Same thing with Yorkshire pudding (family style popovers, essentially). And when I made a pie the crust was really hard to work with and burned a bit on the top. So, I’m learning.

Since I do not have an actual allergy (i.e. celiac disease), and since tiny amounts of gluten do not seem to bother me, I am hopeful that in time I will be able to eat some gluten again. But for now, it’s cold turkey.

There is tons and tons of info online about eating gluten free and I don’t pretend to be an expert yet. What I can do is share my experiences as I work through this new paradigm.

Here are some recent gluten free experiences:

Flours:

Bob’s Red Mill GF Flour: I initially wasn’t thrilled with this flour since it is yellowish, but it was the easiest to use in making pie crust – much less crumbly than the other brands. When I made spaetzle with it however, the dough was goopier than with other brands.

Cup4Cup Flour: This new flour was developed in the kitchens of Thomas Keller’s The French Laundry. I was not happy to discover that the ingredients include milk powder, but it does not seem to have enough lactose in it to bother me. This is a nice flour, very close to real flour in color and texture. I’m alternating between it and Bob’s as my flour of choice.

Kind Arthur GF Flour: This is a pretty good substitute but has a bit of a grainy feel to it.

Products:

Pamela’s Cookies: These are crumbly, but taste great. It’s a luxury to be able to buy packaged cookies now and this is a great treat for me.

Wegmans Store Brand Brownie Mix: HEAVEN. This was just like real brownies. Wegmans makes other baking mixes, but I would rather use my own recipes with modifications.

Wegmans GF pasta: LOVE these. They are made with corn, but I swear you wouldn’t know. My family ate it without complaint. I’ve stocked up on every style they have.

Conte’s Gnocchi: I did not notice a difference with this product at all. A definite winner!

Chex cereals: Rice and Corn Chex (and associated store brands) are GF and delicious.

Annie’s Chocolate and Vanilla Rabbits: These are like Teddy Grahams. My son can’t get enough of them. I think they are great when I just need a little bite of something. And it satisfies my chocolate craving.

Mi-Del Arrowroot Cookies: Love these. They are  like animal crackers.

Udi’s Bagels: The whole grain bagels are very close to real bagels. I did not care for the plain white ones.

Udi’s Bread: I’ve tried several kinds that were just horrid (Schar’s white bread is awful), but the whole grain version of Udi’s is fantastic. GF bread products are always better toasted, by the way.

Foods by George English Muffins: I have tried the No-Rye Rye and the plain. I love the plain – they are really like biscuits more than English muffins, but are fluffy and delish.

Tamari sauce: Most people don’t know soy sauce contains gluten. I can handle small amounts of it, but I use this instead of soy sauce now in cooking. Tamari is basically a stronger soy sauce and I prefer the taste.

Bob’s Red Mill GF oats: Most people don’t know oats and oatmeal have gluten  – usually small amounts from processing. I have eaten the occasional packet of prepared oatmeal without trouble, but I buy these for baking and for making my own oatmeal (which I prefer anyhow).

Wholly Wholesome Pie Shells: These are GF and vegan as well. I used them to make a chicken pot pie and everyone gave it the thumbs up.

GF breadcrumbs: These are convenient and work just as well as regular.

Eating Out: 

This is where things get tricky, because you have to ask what things are made with. When I go to a restaurant I first scope out the things I know are GF, like salads (no croutons! and oil and vinegar dressing is always safe), grilled meat (but you have to ask about sauces), and sides like steamed or grilled veggies, baked potatoes or French fries (fortunately I’m not bothered by things that are cooked in the same oil as things with gluten – French fries and onion rings are usually made in the same oil). Then I identify things on the menu that MIGHT be GF and I ask. At a recent dinner out there were 4 fish dishes that seemed to have no breading or flour based sauces. I asked if they were GF or could be made GF. The waitress was clueless and asked the chef. All 4 could be GF. Score! I now always look at a menu online before I go to be sure there will be something I can eat. And if we intend to go someplace special, I will call ahead and alert the chef so that there will be definite options for me.

We recently went to a local restaurant called Merge, that has GF, vegan (i.e. lactose free) and raw foods on the menu, all clearly marked. It was like heaven for me. I wish more restaurants would do that! It made it all so easy, and many of the dishes could be prepared with or without gluten or dairy if you specified.

We’ve identified several pizza places that have GF pizza near us. There is also a local bakery that only makes GF food. I’ve been in once and will be back. Their Italian bread was nearly identical to regular. Their donuts were an epic fail. Their coffee cake wasn’t bad. I’ll try more products the next time.

Another trick I have up my sleeve is to bring a GF roll with me if I know I am going to a place that serves burgers or hot dogs. I can order it without a bun and pop it onto mine.

Eating out now takes work and forces me to speak up and ask questions, but it’s definitely doable. It’s still hard to see others at the table enjoying mac and cheese, breaded cutlets, and gravies. But I remind myself I can make any of that GF at home.

Managing Family Meals

This has had surprisingly little impact on our family meals. I’ve been making lots of potatoes and rice and the GF products I’ve served (bread, tacos, recipes made with GF flour) have passed muster without a peep from anyone. I use GF flour in sauces, soups, and recipes. Lactose free milk goes into recipes as well without anyone noticing at all. It is surprisingly easy to work around this at home. Baking is a bigger challenge, however. My GF apple pie was ok, but I need to work on my pie crust some more. And I have yet to try out a lot of my family baking recipes, which will likely need tweaking.

Searching for

What I am desperately still looking for includes:

GF puff pastry

GF wonton wrappers (so I can make my own potstickers and dumplings and wonton soup)

GF filo dough

GF croissants

good GF donuts

GF egg noodles

GF hot pretzels

Lactose Free Products:

I’m still trying to work out what works for me and doesn’t. Lactose-free milk has become a staple in my cooking and on my cereal. It is slightly sweeter than regular milk. Lactose free yogurt does not work for me for some reason. I can eat small amounts of hard cheeses. Lactose free American cheese works well for me. I’ve also sampled every frozen dessert option my store has that is LF. The coconut milk ice cream has the best texture, but I can’t get past the coconut taste. I did not like the rice milk ice cream or the soy milk ice cream. The almond milk ice cream is pretty good, but it all does have an almond flavor. None of it is perfect. So far I have been ok using small amounts of sour cream in cooking. Butter does not bother me, but we use a lot of Olivio instead. And I’ve always cooked with olive oil when possible, instead of butter.

Moving Forward

I will be cooking with GF flours and products from now on, but I don’t anticipate this having much of an impact on my blogging. There are many, many foods that don’t involve gluten in any way, and if I do make a GF substitute in a recipe, I’ll tell you. I will still be sharing my love of cooking and baking with you.

If you are GF or LF I would love to hear from you!

I’ve had good news and bad news recently. The good news is that some health issues that had been plaguing me for a long time have finally been solved and eliminated. The bad news is that it turns out I am gluten and lactose intolerant. Now these two things are not the end of the … Read more →

As I look back on our travels, there are moments that stand out to me in my mind like postcards. Beautiful places, important moments, and stand out experiences that are head and shoulders above the rest. They’ve created a kind of gallery of snapshots in mind, which I mentally thumb through at times, to relive them.

Scotland

– Crossing the border from England to Scotland and driving up through the sheep-dotted hills of the Borderlands. I waited my entire life to go to Scotland, land of my ancestors, and when it actually happened, I cried with an overwhelming sense of homecoming.

– Gondola ride in Venice. This was one of those surreal moments when you’re doing something that is a bucket list item and is something so idealized that it doesn’t even seem real when you do it. I felt as if I was holding my breath the whole time, willing myself to remember every single second.

– Waikoloa Beach, Big Island of Hawaii. This was the beach of my dreams. Smooth, placid

Waikoloa Beach, Hawaii

blue-green water, flat sandy beach and shade from palm trees. I remember thinking, am I really here in this paradise?

– The bridge from the mainland to Hilton Head Island. The bridge gently spans over a Low Country tidal creek, which meanders among the weeds with pluff mud visible. I’ve had a thing for tidal creeks ever since.

– The waves crashing on the rocks outside a cottage in York Harbor, Maine. It sounded,

York, Maine

smelled, and looked divine, but it also brought back my childhood, when I spent two weeks each summer on the Penobscot Bay. It was like being reunited with an old friend. The ocean was still there, waiting for me.

– Ellis Island. Most people have their big travel moment at the Statue of Liberty, but for me it happened at Ellis Island. I could almost see, hear, and feel the immigrants walking from the docks and through the doors. They were still there in that big echoey building and I felt my connection to my ancestors deeply at that place. My skin prickled with their nearness.

– The library at Monticello, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson’s library room absolutely

Monticello

overwhelmed me with emotions and strange connections. All of his belongings and furniture are there and the bed he died in is in the room, next to his desk. Another place that moved me to tears.

– The Blue Grotto, Capri, Italy. This moment felt surreal, as if I were watching it on TV. I will never forget the soul-wrenching blue of the water, as we rowed twice around the grotto, chills running down my back.

– The sky of New Mexico. People talk about Montana being the land of the Big Sky (I haven’t been there yet and I’ll let you know if I agree once I get there!), but New Mexico to me was about the wide open sky, which reached down to hold up the land.

– The view from Pike’s Peak. It was if we were on top of a tiny, pointy skyscraper, and all

Pike’s Peak, Colorado

the world was laid out beneath us to see.

– Touring the White House. Sometimes I think, was I really there? It seems amazing that we walked in the steps of the presidents and world leaders when we went through this iconic building.

– Glastonbury Abbey, England. The mythical burial place of King Arthur and Guenevere. The town is one nutty hippie hang out, but the quiet beauty of the ruins here spoke to me deeply, whether or not the leader of Camelot really did rest here. It was a place that felt sacred and spiritual to me, when very few places ever do. It was a moment of connection, seeing this place from the legend, when our children’s middle names and our dogs’ first names all come from Arthurian literature.

– Hell’s Gate, Kawartha Lakes, Ontario Canada. We rented a houseboat and explored this lovely area of lakes connected with many locks. The most memorable part of the trip was navigating Hell’s Gate, a very dangerous, narrow passage filled with rocky outcroppings. I don’t even think we have a photo of it since we were so busy trying not to wreck our boat! It was spectacular in the combination of water and sharp, pointy rocks.

– Wild horses crossing the road. We’ve encountered these twice – once on the highway in

New Mexico wild horses

New Mexico and once at the Assateague National Seashore in Maryland. Both times they were beautiful, free, and full of spirit.

– Lobster in the rough, Boothbay Harbor, Maine. Before we took the kids to meet my Maine, my husband and I went there on our honeymoon. We still believe that the only way to eat lobster is at a picnic table, with an ear of corn cooked in the lobster water, and a bag of potato chips, with the ocean over your shoulder.

– Swimming with the dolphins, Key Largo, Florida. I just remember laughing and laughing with pure joy as we swam with the dolphins and they pushed us through the water.

Glacier Bay, Alaska

– Glacier Bay, Alaska. The utter stillness that surrounded our ship in the bay is something I won’t ever forget, then the quiet being broken when the glacier calved, making a big splash. It was dramatic and it was also terrifying. The glacier was light blue and the water was deep dark blue. The air was clear and biting, and it seemed we were alone in the wilderness.

– The Milky Way, Finger Lakes, New York. Although my family now owns a cottage in the Finger Lakes, for several years, we rented one on Cayuga Lake for a week each summer. One night, after we had put our preschool daughter to bed, we were sitting by the fire, stargazing. It was a remarkably clear night and the absence of ambient lighting made it possible to see what felt like the entire galaxy. We could clearly see the cloudy clusters of stars making up the Milky Way. My husband went inside and woke our daughter, bringing her outside, to  stand at the end of the dock, so she could look up and see this beautiful universe she was our center of. She doesn’t remember it, but we do.

What are your postcard travel moments?

As I look back on our travels, there are moments that stand out to me in my mind like postcards. Beautiful places, important moments, and stand out experiences that are head and shoulders above the rest. They’ve created a kind of gallery of snapshots in mind, which I mentally thumb through at times, to relive … Read more →