As our country celebrates its semiquincentennial (250th birthday) in 2026, it’s a bittersweet end for a coin nearly as old as our country itself.

There is something peaceful about stones piled one atop another.

Some beautiful Finnish words describe soulful experiences, cabins, saunas, and the peaceful calm of being in nature.

Our feathered friends are one of our surest harbingers of spring.

A friend once told me that life is like a band marching in a parade.

Cut flowers bring joy and make every space just a little more beautiful.

As we are all snowed in, Imbolc is a nice reminder that seasons change.

They say of Finland that it is the land where words, not swords, are the tools of the magicians.

Bibs — my uniform as a kid — are not only comfy and functional but also stylish and, dare I say, trendy.

Food seems like a fitting analogy, as we all strive to find the perfect recipe for a life.

No matter what or who you celebrate tonight, let there be light.

Every tree, like every person, is perfect to someone.

Give thanks for turkeys.

How the logs are joined together and individually hewn gives each cabin its own character and charm.

Nature heals what ails us.

There's nothing better than a comforting and satisfying bowl of soup.

There is light and magic all around us.

Each stamp is a tiny, beautiful piece of art.

What I always appreciated most about my parents was their strong work ethic, sense of humor, and abiding love for their families.

Nature is always full of surprises. What does your imagination see?

The 2025 cabin season brought beauty and unexpected surprises.

Like so many things, apple blossoms are fleeting.

Cloudberries, lingonberries, bilberries, crowberries…Finns love their wild berries!

Forever this beautiful pine will be “Tracy’s tree,” keeping a watchful eye on my cabins and grounds, just as he did.

We need to protect things that are important and critical, not only to our personal wellbeing but for the greater good of our nation. Science and the bright minds that pursue it are among those things.

On these days, in the depths of winter and change, I like to be reminded of the connectedness of our world.