This sign was at my favorite bookstore, Roebling Books & Coffee in Cincinnati. When I was very young, this store was an auto repair shop that my Dad worked at right before he opened his own shop. I checked and the cute fluffy kittens get the unicorn ride a...
What’s Missing
It’s been several years since I have worked on a jigsaw puzzle. Over the Thanksgiving week my grandkids and I started working on a 1000 piece puzzle. 1000 pieces seemed like a very lofty goal and there were many events going on during the week so it took...
On Alert for Connections
I biked over to a nearby river where I heard that salmon could be seen jumping as they swam up river. When I arrived there were 8 – 10 people there all paying close attention to the waterfall in hopes of seeing a salmon jump the fall. Most people gathere...
A Great Story of Community
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride is an amazing well told story of the power of community. It delves into the damage caused by bigotry and deceit as well as the impact of courage and kindness. The history of one of the very worse institutions...
It Took Years
CJ and his friend Steven cast drop their lines right off of this dock. They drive 20 minutes to fish here regularly and I met them while working with the Tennessee Aquarium. He is happy to talk to me and tells me about the types of fish here and asks where I a...
Cultures of Connection
In the book “Together” the US Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy presents research on the cause and impact of loneliness and stories of individuals and communities that are making a difference by building connections and stronger communities. From t...
What’s Your Favourite Walking Route?
“What’s your favourite walking route?” was one of a dozen questions on the spinning wheel at a community BBQ. Neighbours who attended the event could spin the wheel and draw or write a response to their question. The questions were designed t...
Wow!!
In the book Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner; he defines awe as being in the presence of something so vast that it transcends your current understanding of the world. I think of the “wow” ...
Questions About Gifts
Everyone has gifts, usually many gifts. These are the things we like to do, care about, know or pay attention to and are important to us. Frequently these are easily discovered. Other times it takes time, conversation and a relationship before more gifts are v...
What Do You See?
One idea to get to know a neighborhood better is to be a tourist for an afternoon and see what unexpected treasures you discover. In Oshkosh, Wisconsin I was intrigued by the old architecture of the buildings on Main Street. One building had the most unusual a...