My husband Brad and I each have travel bucket lists. Years ago we wrote out 10 different locations we wanted to visit, without consulting with each other. Amazingly, (or maybe not as we’ve been together for nearly forty years) we both chose some of the same countries. Greece was one of them. We checked off […]
I’m back home, on solid ground, after being in constant motion for the last 5 ½ months in our motorhome. I’m sitting at my desk, covered with research books, book proposals, correspondence, works by upcoming Claire’s Day authors and illustrators, sipping tea and reflecting on our adventures. Here’s how the (approximate!) numbers stack up; 8,000 […]
Red Bay. It sounds like a spice, or for those in Florida currently, a description of the coast lines getting hit with Red tide. But, for every Tiffin motorhome owner, Red Bay means home. As in Sweet Alabama home. In 1941, Alex Tiffin opened Tiffin Supply Company in this little town in northern Alabama. Throw […]
Some call the stretch of coastal Florida from the towns of Carrabelle to Seaside the Forgotten Coast. It’s also known as the Gulf Coast. I’d call it the Sweet Coast. With it’s sugary beaches and laid-back vibe, it was just what my soul needed. My friend Margie gave us a lovely book as a Bon […]
Don’t you love it when the perfect book enters your life at the perfect time? My friend Beth Fry lent me Last Train to Paradise, the story of Henry Flagler’s quest to build the railroad along the eastern coastline, and ultimately, all the way to Key West. The timing to read this fascinating account couldn’t […]
My friend Rita had me at “Hey there traveler! Missing you and wondering where you will be the last couple weeks of January?” Rita’s text couldn’t have come at a better time. I was feeling a little bit homesick. Rita and her husband Curt have been friends for nearly thirty years. We moved into our […]
I sensed movement off to my left, just behind reeds that lined the Juniper Spring Run. I drew my paddle back into the water, quietly, cautiously. As I came around a bend, I felt my pulse quicken. There, just a paddle length away was the biggest alligator I had ever seen. He stopped moving, just […]
Years ago I traveled with my dear friends Susan and Pam to Europe. Our itinerary included flying to Paris, taking the Chunnel to London and then up to Scotland. As we were visiting three countries, we thought we’d divide and conquer in our research. Paris pour moi, Susan covered London, and Pam willingly took Scotland. […]
The Jazz Corner in Hilton Head has served as a haven for jazz enthusiasts for nearly a quarter of a century. Brad and I were fortunate to take in Lavon Stevens on the piano and singer Louise Spencer this past week. Dinner was fantastic and the crowd responsive as they played a variety of holiday […]
One of the greatest benefits to this on-the-road experience is being able to spend time with family members and friends. Over the last couple of weeks we’ve visited with my mother-in-law, Lynn, daughter Kyle and her husband, Will, son, Ian, and friends Steve and Debbie Gibbs. I’ll get to the flames in a bit, but […]
