Another holiday is behind us. Decorations put away. This holiday, the decor is red, white and blue. Driving around the island this last Fourth of July weekend, it made me smile when I saw so many …

It is not easy to avoid clutter. It doesn't take long to have piles. Big Guy and I fight piles. We tend to cover our tables and open surfaces with bits and pieces of our lives. One person's clutter …

A while ago, I wrote about my first trip to Africa. It was a life-changing experience, and my sister and I were quick to plan another trip to explore further the country that has seduced us with its …

When you think of beaches and Florida, you think of flip-flops. The simplest of footwear is an iconic reminder of our casual lifestyle. Flip-flops can be made of rubber and simple or adorned with …

What did we do before the internet? Guess we went to the library and used dictionaries and the thesaurus. Remember phone books? Gone forever. The internet is great, but I do miss hunkering down in …

Architectural Treasures of Amelia Island Amelia Island offers a unique opportunity to experience history. Fernandina Beach's Historic District is a living museum. Like sleeping beauties, the …

Plato said, “The sea cures all ailments of man.”   My middle son and his 6-year-old son recently visited. There is only one thing my youngest grandson wanted to do. Go to …

Adventure travel offers unique opportunities to see and experience things that most people cannot imagine, let alone do. Challenges can be logistical or physical. You must endure security checks, …

For the Andersons, a porch is essential. Our first island house had a porch across the back that overlooked a tidal marsh. The reality of aging and the challenge of stairs convinced us it was time to …

Boxes and files of family information haunt me. Digging through the albums and files, I find things that surprise and amaze me. If only we could go back in time and talk to our grandparents, now long …

In other parts of the country the first signs of spring are robins, but not in Florida. Many times, an alligator sighting may be a clue that the seasons have changed. Neighborhood retention ponds and …

Architectural Treasures of Amelia Island. Amelia Island offers a unique opportunity to experience history. Fernandina Beach's Historic District is a living museum. Like sleeping beauties, the …

The term "resort casual" always strikes me as funny when the question comes up about what to wear to a social event. The quick and sometimes flip answer is resort casual. Is there a resort formal? …

People often ask me about some of my adventures on foot and on a bicycle. One of my most memorable trips was to Provence, France, on a bicycle. Big Guy and I have long hung up our wheels but remember …

We are welcoming the warmer weather. I find myself wandering around my backyard, eager to find signs of spring. My garden is like me — unplanned, meandering, sometimes blooming, sometimes not. …

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 …

Many of us have been looking back five years and remembering the strange world we woke up to in March of 2020. A full-blown pandemic changed everything. Looking back through my columns and articles, …

It has been a tough few months. We have lost several close friends. I know it is part of aging, but nonetheless, it is hard. Reading the paper, it is difficult not to look at the recent obituaries. …

I did it! I actually baked some sourdough bread. I learned that it is not a simple process. It is part chemistry, part work, timing, and maybe magic. How the gooey dough turns into a beautiful loaf …

Pills seem to be an inevitable part of our lives. They have strange names like Lipitor, Zoloft, Zocor and Celebrex. The older we get, the greater our inventory of little brown bottles with twist-off …