PART I – THE SETTING

I was in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, and in several weeks I would be traveling to China over the 15,397-foot Khunjerab Pass, the highest paved border crossing in the world.  And so I needed to obtain a Chinese visa.  One month earlier I had been in India and considered getting the visa there.  But when I called the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, they assured me it would be a breeze to pick one up in Islamabad.  “Are you sure?” I asked the woman on the other end of the phone.  “Yes,” the cheerful voice replied.

Dreaming of summer in Maine, eating lobster, drawing the natural beauty, trying not to get wet at Thunder Hole? Me, too. What's inspired me even MORE this year is an extraordinary guidebook from one of my very favorite authors, James Kaiser - Acadia: The Complete Guide.

It's almost Cinco de Mayo and time to celebrate all things Mexican. But wait, what exactly is Cinco de Mayo?

At a coaching summit I attended in February one of the keynote speakers – Lynne Twist (whose book, The Soul of Money, I very much recommend) spoke about one of the most destructive and yet most spread myths of the modern world: more is better.  We are encouraged to consume more to “help” the economy, we are const

The artwork of Robin Maria Pedrero captures life’s simple pleasures – birds, plants and other forms from nature. The work is obviously drawn from the heart of an Artist at peace with her world.  Robin is a member of the Florida Artists Hall of Fame and an elected member of the Pastel Society of America.