Chalets and châteaux, chapels, churches, and cathedrals line the road north from Québec City. Our path today on the trail of Rose Michaud takes us along the Beaupré Coast of the St. Lawrence River through towns and villages such as Chateau Richer and Ange-Gardien, where my great-great-(seven greats😊)-grandmother Marie lived with her father and stepmother…
Friends sometimes call me the Tin Woman because of my large collection of tins. The moniker recalls one of my favorite childhood movies, The Wizard of Oz. While it both terrified and fascinated me, it also taught me about some of life’s important values: brains, heart, and courage, embodied in the Scarecrow, the Tin Man,…
So much of my life revolves around food. Purchasing, preparing, eating, and cleaning up food! Even as I start to write this post, my mind wanders to the kitchen and the squash-apple soup I plan to make for lunch. I’m not a great cook or even super passionate about cooking, but I sure love to…
Can I share a secret? Hiding behind my mask, I’ve saved a bundle this year on face cream, lipstick, and even (gasp!) toothpaste. What I’ll look like when I finally emerge from the cocoon may alarm the neighbors. We so often leave unattended what nobody else can see, where no outsider will notice. You…
My mother-in-law (AKA Mrs. Cleanhouse) has always had an obsession with washing windows. Smudges and fingerprints I never would have noticed, she attacked with more than a vengeance—a passion. No wonder her solarium grew lush and verdant. The secret lay in keeping those huge windows clean. Last week I talked of stained clothes, today it’s…
This better be worth it, I think as I snap on a neon-orange life vest, complete with light and whistle. After all the time and trouble we took to get here, I’m expecting a bucket of benefits from this trip. Maybe too much. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who…
Today we’re on our way to a frigid South Pacific blue lagoon, renowned for its millennial glacier flanked by towering mountain peaks. After looking forward to this moment for 35 years, I suspect the trip’s not off to an auspicious start. “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God’s handwriting.” –Ralph…