story by Julianne MesaricUntil my summer working at the Headhouse Farmers Market, I didn’t know what a real peach tasted like. The peaches from my childhood were firm, fuzzy globes—average, unmemorable pieces of fruit bought from the local box supermarket. Working at the Three Springs Fruit Farm stand changed that.
Morestory by Suzanne LevyEvery week, on Friday night, something close to a miracle happens at our house.
My 12- and 15- year old stepdaughters turn off their cell phones, unplug from Facebook and step away from the TV. My four-year-old daughter even stops whining to play a game on my computer.
The reason? Our humble tradition of
3 mins read
story by Jennifer Rezelli | contributions and edits by Summer RezeliThe inspiration for the great gelato caper naturally began during a trip to Italy with my twin brother, sister-in-law and niece. Among the highlights of our trip was a particularly rugged hike, during which my niece, who was nine years old
More2 mins read
story by Tanya Veitch | illustration by Stephen HaighFirst, a confession: I am a full-on honey bee nerd. I love my bees and am totally addicted to beekeeping. I’ve been “keeping” bees since July 2010. In that time I’ve lost sleep, been stung (my fault), felt terrified and overwhelmed, and of course,
More2 mins read
story by Kirsten HarperMy boyfriend had always wanted to live aboard, so when he went to school to learn how to build wooden sailboats it seemed an opportune time to begin this adventure. We learned how to sail from scratch and bought a used, 30-year-old boat for a bargain during the
More2 mins read
story by Mary Elizabeth Clark, SSJ | photo by Howard PitkowIn my parent’s house, faith and action went hand in hand. For 15 years, my mother met monthly with an interfaith group to discuss the Middle East. Through that organization, she protested the treatment of Russian Jews by wearing black and demonstrating downtown. My parents,
More2 mins read
During our very happy, almost 15-year marriage, my wife Sheila and I have given each other every possible gift. Some, like my drum kit and handsomely battered briefcase, are revered. Others have been loved for a time or shelved and then, kindly dispatched to Goodwill. To avoid ending up on the TV show “Hoarders,” a
More3 mins read
My first, and unfortunate, attempt at composting was using a static pile. The stinking, hot pile of primordial ooze I created was not only unfit for fertilizing my vegetables, but caused a severe rift in my relationship with my neighbors. So, I decided to switch to another method I’d discovered in my composting research: vermicomposting,
More2 mins read
Every August, I head up to Maine for vacation. My dad lives on Harpswell peninsula, just south of Brunswick, and my girlfriend’s family stays at an inn on the beach in Scarborough, 10 miles south of Portland. This year, I ditched the car and plane for the train and bicycle. The original plan was to
More2 mins read
I never thought I would voluntarily shorten my summer vacation. Sure, I was excited to start my freshman year at Penn, but my plan was to enjoy a long, leisurely vacation in Maine. But at the beginning of the summer, while browsing my new school’s website, a pre-orientation program caught my eye: PennGreen. The five-day
More2 mins read