19 Aug
17 Aug
Sometimes the Universe Echoes: A Scavenger Hunt on Mount Putney
A couple of weeks ago I wrote about our first scavenger hunt hike in the Shenandoah National Park. We have done so many hikes in so many different states since the boys were born and have never once before been handed a trail scavenger hunt. Not in Acadia National Park. Not in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Never. So you can imagine my surprise when we stepped out of the truck in Vermont to hike up to the Mount Putney Summit, and there was a kindly older woman approaching us with a stack of papers and some tiny pencils. This volunteer from the... Read More
13 Aug
A Rainy Day in Vermont and a Glass Factory: Our Family-Style Anniversary
It rained from dawn to dusk today on our 13th wedding anniversary, but I’m pretty sure we managed to make it as romantic as possible with my lovely mother and three kids in tow. The Simon Pearce Glass Factory in Quechee is just simply a beautiful place, and even though the price tags on their items are too rich for our blood, the views (and glass factory tour) are free. We got to watch from just a few feet away while the craftsmen created vases and bowls and glass pumpkins. Jeremy seems to have developed a bit of a man-crush, but I am... Read More
06 Aug
Theo’s Philosophy of Travel: Let’s Give It a Chance
On day sixteen of our road trip through North Carolina and Virginia Theo informed me that he wanted to go home. He was simple and direct. “Daddy, I want to go home.” Max disagreed. “Daddy I want to go to another campin’ ground.” I could have stayed on the road for the rest of the summer, but alas, for a variety of reasons, it really was time to go home. However, I tried to keep both boys happy. “Well guys, we are going home tomorrow, but we are going to go camping again this summer!” Max smiled.... Read More
04 Aug
A Scavenger Hunt for all Ages: Story of the Forest, Shenandoah
We were stale. By the end of last summer, we had Max and Theo hiking up to three miles no sweat. On our trip to New York State we took on trail after trail, finding waterfalls and gorges and swimming holes. But a pregnancy and newborn took its toll on all of us, and a year later the trail blazers were rusty. Even though I had found some online descriptions of kid-friendly hikes, I decided to talk to the rangers at the Big Meadows Visitor Center so we didn’t get in over our heads with the preschoolers and newborn we happened to be... Read More
28 Jul
Robert Lake Park, Montreat: A Playground for the Soul
We were looking for a peaceful way to spend the day, so we decided to return to Montreat, a Presbyterian retreat community on the outskirts of Black Mountain, North Carolina. I don’t know much about the history of this place, but I do know that they managed to build what may just be the most beautiful playground ever. With rocky streams running through the whole park, the equipment is spread out in little pockets that our kids could discover in bits and pieces, as opposed to the phrenetic but brief enjoyment that most playgrounds offer.... Read More
27 Jul
