Recently, a friend returned from her dream trip to South Africa. Excited for her, I shared memories of my two trips to Africa years ago. The trips were with my fellow adventurer, my sister Betsy. The …

Amelia Island offers a unique opportunity to experience history. Fernandina Beach's Historic District is a living museum. Like sleeping beauties, the island's Victorian-era homes have been frozen in …

Yup, we have opened a brand new calendar. Welcome, 2025. We all want it to be a good year and promise ourselves and others that we will set some goals. So the dance begins – the pressure is on. …

The party is over. The holidays and all the hoopla are behind us. How did we measure up? How did it measure up? As we moved through the chaos of December, our wheels spun faster and faster and …

It is about time that people begin to think of what the holidays look like us – the dogs of Amelia. My name is Andy, and my sister’s name is Katie. We are the Anderson dogs. Once a year, we take over ...

For some it gets harder and harder to find simple pleasure and joy in the holidays. It takes some concentrated determination to find the merry in “ merry Christmas” ​ or the happy in …

Big Guy and I have several holiday traditions. One is enjoying other people’s decorating efforts. The older we get, the less decorating we do. Nowadays it seems like people go all out …

While visiting family in Washington over the Thanksgiving holiday, I had a chance to visit The National Gallery and tour the much-promoted "Impressionist Moment" exhibit. It was a must-do for me. I …

What would life be without books? For many, it would be a very lonely place. Reading has always been a big part of my life. In the past, my bedside table would collect books I intended to read or had …

Halloween is in the books. The candy is probably all gone, pumpkins discarded, and scary decorations put away. Now, onto the next holiday in line. Thanksgiving. You know the holiday is coming when …

Amelia Island loves a parade. Throughout the year, parades dot the calendar. It seems either you are in the parade or watching it! The most recent was the annual Veterans Day parade hosted by …

People often asked me about ”writer’s block.” Blocks are not limited to writers. It happens to all of us. Blocks come in all sizes and shapes. It can be digestive or heart issues. …

It is the time of year when many of us focus on balls. For some, it is football; currently, with the World Series, it is baseball. Some obsessions are seasonal, depending on our sport of choice. Some …

You can't escape it. Halloween is coming. Candy piled high in the stores. Why do we love this holiday? There is an inner child in us, and Halloween gives us a chance to play. It is not just children …

Finally, fall is in the air. We welcome the cooler mornings but not the dark and sometimes foggy mornings. We always think the summer just past was the worst and hottest, and this year was no …

As we await yet another hurricane, we are faced with the waiting game. Yes, it is familiar and we know what we need to do, but still awaiting the unknown is frustrating. Accidents happen with no warning …

When I moved to Florida 28 years ago, I looked forward to sitting on my porch and enjoying my new Florida home. It inspired me to start my column, From The Porch, sharing my enthusiasm for Amelia Island.