Spring Cleaning – Creating Space for Something Beautiful to Grow.

The previous owner of the home we now live in was a master gardener. The backyard was beautifully landscaped, including a butterfly garden and a plot for a vegetable garden. I was so excited to have a space for gardening. However, it didn’t take long after moving in to realize that it required a lot…

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How to Embrace Cozy in Winter.

Have you heard of the small Norwegian island called Tromso? Jennifer Dukes Lee (Growing Slow) I come from a Scandinavian and Norweigan bloodline, my maiden name Tromsness. Troms, a county in Norway. “Ness” the name given for someone who lived on a highland, an elevated point in the water. So while the average reader might…

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The Best Gatherings Happen Around a Table.

The word gathering is defined by Merriam-Webster as assembly, abscess, collecting of food or raw materials from the wild, collection, or compilation.  While technically correct, this definition does not express the depth of what gathering has the potential to achieve.  And while the word gathering does not require a collection of people or food, I’ve…

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Generosity a Function of the Heart.

Generosity

For years, I found myself frustrated, even sometimes angry, when unexpected expenses came in and messed with my neatly laid out plans. As a planner (and former banker), I wanted to pride myself on being financially responsible, but medical bills, rising costs of everyday necessities, and raising kids kept throwing the budget out of alignment….

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Reflections on the Practices of a Distance Runner.

A few years ago, my husband signed up to run the Kansas City Marathon. He’d run a few half marathons by that time, but taking on a full marathon was a new challenge. Recently, my friend and neighbor completed her first marathon, the same KC Marathon, and it’s kind of a big deal. It’s an…

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