A few years ago, I visited Boulder, Colorado, and hiked the trails in Chautauqua Park. The evergreen trees that patchworked over those razor-sharp hills took my breath away (literally). I had almost reached the peak when I came upon this steep and rocky road. Winded and fatigued from the previous few hours of my frolic…
What do Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, and Jerry Lee Lewis all have in common? Sister Rosetta Tharpe, a Black musician from Arkansas who played the electric guitar and sang the blues and gospel. She toured with Muddy Waters in 1964 in England and is said to have influenced Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Keith Richards…
The American Pickers show has always been a favorite in our household, a show my husband and I could both agree upon, where American history comes alive as two middle-aged men forage through garages and barns to rediscover America’s past through discarded items. Last year, I visited one of their American Archaeology stores in Nashville…
My mother-in-law and I share many of the same, quirky interests—not the least of which is her lovable son. But on a recent trip to Florida, we shared a walk through the Naples Botanical Garden. The walk turned out to be more like a fanciful daydream through Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” with its puffy flowers…
Sometimes the legacy of a legend like Martin Luther King, Jr. is overwhelming. His words, his defiance, his righteousness, his dreams. I am haunted by his words and his uplifting vision for our country. He inspires us all to be and do better in order to realize our full potential as a nation. (A challenge…
I have always been fascinated by how the use of physical structures within a community evolves over time, allowing a place to find new purpose and engagement with its residents. When those buildings become historic, the connection between the past and the present becomes tangible. And sometimes it becomes sweet. The Candy Factory (now known…
