Adapted and updated: In 2011, my husband and I made an incredible drive up the coast of California between Los Angeles and San Francisco, with a side trip to Point Reyes National Seashore north of San Francisco and Muir Woods. We enjoyed breathtaking vistas of rugged coastline and walked a trail gazing up at immense […]
Nature (Connect with the natural world)
Late March at Riverwood
Dr. John and I often take pictures when we’re out on our walks. Here are a few sights we captured this week. He has a serious camera. I just use my iPhone. Pin this:
Changing Seasons Can Be Messy
Changing seasons can be messy in nature and in life. Here’s what I observed and reflected on in September 2015. Little did I know that just five years later, that messiness would take on a whole new meaning in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Morning walk, early September As I walk this morning in early September, I notice lots […]
Is Your Compass Pointing To True North?
Note from Elizabeth: My guest author today is Laura Fogle, a personal friend and faithful reader. After reading my April Compass Points newsletter (“Life and Death in the Pandemic”), she graciously shared this experience and its spiritual lessons. I was so moved by it and am grateful to her for allowing me to share it […]
The Shenandoah
Encouraged by our writing group leader, Sarah Kohrs, to try different writing genres, I entered this into a Mountain Courier poetry contest. It was selected to be included in their April 2020 issue for National Poetry Month. The contest theme was “Uniquely Shenandoah.” The Shenandoah Listen to River’s voice from murky depths and restless […]
Have you seen these breathtaking signs of Spring?
Springtime… The very word evokes vivid images, sounds, and smells, especially for those of us who live in a part of the world where Spring is a distinct season. Spring is also laced with symbols of rebirth and hope after the darkness of winter. Every bulb that pushes its way through clods of dirt into […]
Get Outdoors and Discover the Forest
This post has been updated since it first appeared in 2010. It’s so important that we teach our children and grandchildren about the fascinating natural world around them. Not only is it good for both body and soul, but it encourages exploration and cultivates the powers of observation. I wanted to share two excellent resources […]
Life Is Like A River: Keep It Unpolluted
Life is like a river, made up of many smaller streams. Are you taking care of the streams flowing into your life’s river to keep them unpolluted? As I crossed the low-water bridge on my walk this morning and marveled at the beautiful North Fork of the Shenandoah River, I recalled how different the river […]