February 18, 2015 A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit Alabama for the first time. Though I arrived with my head filled with stereotypes, I quickly let them all go and enjoyed the new scenery. I was adjacent to the Talladega National Forest, with trails and roads open to the public. The…

February 9, 2015 We had a beautiful weekend here in North Carolina, full of sunshine and warm temperatures (in contrast to our poor friends in the Northeast who are being bullied by another snowstorm). To take advantage of the spring-like atmosphere, I took some visiting family to Duke Gardens to stroll around. On a past…

February 4, 2015 This morning I woke up, turned on my cell phone, and knew what the sunset looked like in Japan. I saw a European Robin in England, all puffed up against the cold. I looked in awe at snowy peaks in the Himalayas. All without getting out of bed. It is one of…