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Falling in love all over again in the Southwest

(Editor’s note: This column is the second part of a two part series.) As we continued our journey through the Southwest, our next stop brought together two of my great loves, history and natural beauty at Mesa Verde National Park in southwestern Colorado. Here, an ancient window into the past flings wide open, offering visitors like me a rare opportunity to peer inside. What little I knew of this ancient place came from my childhood View-Master reels. I remember eagerly clicking through the 1960s edition of Mesa Verde, longing for the day I’d witness its wonders in person. ...

Falling in love all over again in the Southwest

It’s recently come to my attention that I might be a bit fickle in love — not in the romantic sense, but in my love for nature. Last year, I was utterly smitten after visiting Glacier National Park. I returned home convinced that no other place on Earth could possibly rival its awe-inspiring grandeur. I even said so right here in print. Well, I was wrong. So very wrong. This year, our vacation adventure took us to the Southwest, specifically, the Four Corners region, where the borders of Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico converge. We explored five national parks, one state ...

Stepping through time: Hiking Indian Steps Trail

The first Saturday in June, today, June 7 — is National Trails Day, a time set aside to encourage everyone to get outside and explore and maintain the many scenic trails we’re fortunate to have right in our own backyard. In celebration, I’d love to share one of my all-time favorite local hikes with you. I especially enjoy bringing my dogs along on my outdoor adventures. In case you haven’t met them, I have a ten-year-old labradoodle named Finley and a seven-year-old (and quite large) standard poodle named Murphy. Many of you probably have met them since they come to work with me ...

Wanderlust in Hudson Valley: A mother-daughter adventure

As our children grow into adults with lives of their own, it becomes increasingly difficult to find quality time together. So, when my daughter Joy and I discovered we each had a free weekend, we seized the opportunity to spend time together. Already afflicted with a serious case of wanderlust, I was thrilled to share an adventure with her in New York’s Hudson River Valley. The two-hour drive from Joy’s home in Philadelphia flew by as we chatted nonstop, catching up on life and laughing at old memories. We arrived in Nyack, New York, just in time for dinner. Our home base was a ...

Tomatoes are very useful in Bev’s Kitchen

Hello from the kitchen! It’s mid-May and things are blooming. In spite of having a brown thumb, I refuse to give up growing things. I planted basil, thyme, rosemary and tomatoes. I think tomatoes are the most useful garden item in the kitchen. I almost called it a vegetable but it’s actually a fruit. Two of my adult children won’t eat tomatoes but they like sauces, ketchup and tomato soup. Hmm. My top five uses for tomatoes are stuffed, marinara, mixed vegetable juice, spaghetti and meatballs and homemade pizzas. Happy cooking and gardening from my kitchen to yours. Eat well, ...

My Mother: Bouffants, bargains, bravery

Mother’s Day is here, and until now, I’ve never truly shared much about my mother. I’ve mentioned her here and there, but today, I’m diving in headfirst. My relationship with my mother wasn’t always smooth. But as I grew older and became a parent myself, I’ve learned to view her through a more compassionate and understanding lens. It’s easy to spot the flaws in someone, especially a parent, but choosing to focus on their strengths is where understanding comes, and love deepens. I was a child of the 1960s, and my mother taught my brother and me the value of hard work. ...