We went to the beach in Oregon today. It felt like a spectacular, sunny, Spring day. You’d think “Summer,” right? But the wind coming off the Pacific Ocean was pretty chilly. Sweatshirts were comfortable. And none of us wanted to … Continue reading
Dutch people go crazy for ice-skating. When a hard freeze starts, it’s a topic of casual conversation and serious news reporting. They know exactly the right conditions and the right period of time that’s needed for the right amount of … Continue reading
Today, my kids and I hiked to a waterfall and lounged on the shores of Lake Erie. We played basketball and baseball in the park before we went to get ice cream at Mitchell’s. And then we finished by meeting … Continue reading
We’re in the midst of a hard freeze here in Ohio. For the past two weeks, we haven’t gotten more than a degree or two above freezing — and even those “spikes” in temperature were only for the briefest stretches … Continue reading
Groundhog Day is not a national holiday. Nobody gets a day off of work for the occasion. Still, it makes an appearance on almost every calendar I’ve ever seen. Why is that? I used to joke with Marci that Groundhog … Continue reading
I know that January and February are the hardest months for a lot of people around here. They don’t like the darkness, the deep freeze, the boredom… And I get it. I also find myself longing for Spring. But I … Continue reading
Morning Morgan Park rests in the middle of Portage County, between Ravenna and Shalersville. I pulled into the park’s gravel parking lot right around the time the astronomical calendar listed as “sunrise.” It didn’t feel like much of a sunrise, … Continue reading
We gathered together with Marci’s family in Richland County for Christmas Day. Which we always do. But we did it out in the farmyard this year, instead of inside the farmhouse. Which, actually, we have done under certain conditions: if … Continue reading
My parents, my sister’s family, and my family gathered together for Christmas Eve. Which we always do. But we did it in our driveway. Which we never do. I’m not going to pretend like it was “pure magic,” even with … Continue reading
It was snowing an inch and hour. Especially a bit north of us, in the “Snow Belt.” But I didn’t want to stay inside. Our church’s Staff team had plans to observe a special day of prayer. And because I … Continue reading