Lift

I wanted to take a few moments to share with you all a fun children’s picture book written and illustrated by my friend, Jesse Bennett. Her book, Lift, shares the sweet message of kindness, inclusion, and lifting our words and our actions throughout the beautiful pages.

This sweet and colorful book also shares a great meditation, affirmations, and journal questions at the end to help guide discussions with children. I love all her drawings and all the color used throughout this book!

Highly recommend this adorable picture book! To purchase her book, click here.

Follow this book’s message and do something today to lift up someone in your life!

Rocky Mountain National Park

Happy 106th anniversary to Rocky Mountain National Park!

In 1915, Congress created the Rocky Mountain National Park. Named after the mountain range, this mountain range is one of the world’s longest mountain ranges stretching from Alaska down to Mexico.

Rocky Mountain National Park lies in north central Colorado covering 415 square miles. And it is not too far from Denver!

Rocky Mountain National Park is a great place to go on some fun hikes, experience the mountains, drive the epic Trail Ridge Road, see wildlife, and enjoy the outdoors. If you’re in this area or looking for a great national park to visit next, I highly recommend that you check out Rocky Mountain National Park.

Enjoy a photo below of me hiking a trail in this national park back in June of 2006.

Winnie the Pooh Day 🍯

“A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” ~ Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh Day was created to celebrate the creator’s birthday, A.A. Milne. Milne was born on this day in 1882 in London, England. Milne brought this adorable, honey-loving, bear to life in his writings in a collection of books first published in 1926.

Milne’s lovable Pooh Bear is a fictional bear inspired by a black bear named Winnie who lived at the London Zoo during World War I. The author’s son, Christopher Robin, would visit the bear often at the zoo and named his own teddy bear after her.

Milne created other characters in these books, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, and Roo, after his son’s other stuffed animals.

I so remember enjoying Winne the Pooh as a young girl and love seeing my own children enjoy these lovable characters.

Winnie the Pooh continues today to inspire and entertain many fans throughout the world.

To celebrate this fun day, go and enjoy a Winne the Pooh book, enjoy some honey, snuggle one of your stuffed animals, host a picnic, draw your house in the woods, or even bounce around the room a bit.

“It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine.” ~ Winnie the Pooh 

Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr. Strength to Love, 1963.

National Park Service sites will have free admission for everyone on Monday, January 18, 2021, as the first fee free day of the year in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday.

The National Park Service offers opportunities across the country to honor this important person.

In Georgia, there is the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park. In this location, you can walk through his neighborhood of Atlanta where he had his birthplace, home, church, and burial site. 

In Alabama, there’s the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. Here you can retrace the steps of the 1965 Voting Rights March led by Dr. King on this 45-mile long trail.

In Alabama, there is also the Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument. At this national monument, you can visit places where Dr. King and his fellow activists coordinated for civil rights.

In Washington DC, there’s the Lincoln Memorial. Here you can stand where Dr. King gave his famous “I have a Dream” speech.

Also in Washington DC, you can visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The memorial honors Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy and the struggle for freedom, equality, and justice.

Since travel isn’t an option for many of us right now, you can also participate in a Zoom to get a virtual tour of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Park on Monday, January 18, 2021 at 6pm. This program is free and open to the public. Click here for the Zoom information.

Take time on this Monday to honor and celebrate this great man. Educate yourself and act.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963.

12 Year Old Me

When the box arrived from the shop, Books and Books @ The Studios of Key West, I couldn’t wait to open it!

Yes, it had books in it. But, not just any books.

I opened the box carefully. I’m pretty sure that I eeped or yelped a bit.

I took the books out. Three books looked back up at me. I ordered two books for my daughter and one for me.

I slowly opened the book for me first.

The little girl in me glowed after seeing this page! Growing up, I loved reading Judy Blume books! Her writing and topics created a movement. The characters stay with you over time. She has also inspired me as a writer.

I can’t wait to share that inspiration and these two books below with my daughter.

A great way to end 2020!

Thank you to Judy Blume and to Books and Books @ The Studios of Key West!

Muir Woods National Monument

Happy 113th anniversary to Muir Woods National Monument!

On January 9, 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt created the Muir Woods National Monument in California named after conservationist John Muir. Muir Woods became the 7th National Monument and was the first one created from land donated by a private individual.

Did you know that the first movement to save Muir Woods was organized by women? Check out this link for a short video about it.

Muir Woods is a great place to see some amazing redwood trees, check out the history here, and take in a few hikes. I highly recommend that you check out Muir Woods National Monument!

Check out their website before heading there to see any restrictions and closures going on now.

Happy 113th!

Let’s Go!

I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to see an island again. I dream about sandy beaches and waves coming in and out. I dream about the salty air. I dream about the clear, blue skies. I dream about the warm breeze.

Well, I decided to take this dream and go virtual! It’s not 2020 anymore, but we still can’t travel yet. So, here I go. Come with me! I’m traveling to the Virgin Islands National Park! Virtually!

Did you know that 2/3 of the St. John Island of the Virgin Islands is a national park? Virgin Islands National Park is more than just beautiful beaches. You can hike to plantation ruins to learn about a time when sugar dominated the island or visit the ancient petroglyphs carved by the Taino Indians. This area has a lot of interesting history here.

Click on this link and let’s check it out!

NPS Photo/Susanna Pershern

Enjoy your journey with me virtually to the Virgin Islands National Park! Hope it gave you a feeling of escape for a few minutes. I know that I needed it!