The Journey

2007 fourth-graders at Quince Elementary School in Zeeland, Michigan Gusting over fifteen knots, the wind knocks the tops off the distant rollers, creating slivers of silver that sparkle under the hot, August sun. Waves crash wildly against a nearby sandbar, frothing...

I wanted to learn to read the wind, to harness its power and feel the surge of the boat slicing through the waves. I wanted the exhilaration of being one with nature. Only now do I realize each sailing lesson is like a Petoskey stone, a rare treasure to be pulled from...

Boaters play a Key Role in Reducing Spread of AIS 1972Where is that woman who squared her shoulders, took a deep breath, and stepped into the Detroit Tiger dugout as the first woman sports editor to interview legendary baseball manager Billy Martin? Where is that...

Garlic Mustard and Spotted Knapweed are two of the most toxic invasive plants threatening the dunes along the shores of Lake Michigan. Both can be eliminated over time if people are willing to get their hands dirty. As Garlic Mustard is now in bloom, there are...

I spot my first Dutchman’s Breeches splaying its seemingly delicate whisper of green foliage across layers of crusted oak leaves. The pink blush of the Spring Beauty will follow; and then the slim white faces of the Squirrel Corn, the royal purple of the Violets, the...

I call it my sacred bookshelf. On its shelves are authors I hold in great esteem, whose words inspire me, and weave threads of influence into my own tapestry of writing. Built into the hallway wall just outside our bedroom, the bookshelf itself is magical. If I tug on...

“Why are there two bottles of rum in the cockpit?” I ask, pausing in the midst of vigorously scrubbing the boat.Rubin is strolling leisurely down our pier, hands in his coat pockets, blue eyes sparkling, a good-natured smile stretched across his face. I can tell, even...

The to-do list governing my existence scrolls across multiple pages and I can barely breathe for the size and weight of the responsibilities. Scrunched in a heap in the corner of my life lie the unwritten longings of my heart. Abandoned.   In the distance,...

The challenge in sailing is finding the balance in the wind, the sails, the waves, any underwater current, and the pull from the hull or the rudder. When you discover that "sweet spot," you can sail the boat in a straight line, making the most progress while expending...

For over twenty years I visited Tucson without knowing scientists consider it part of the Sky Island Region. I saw a desert valley of windswept browns and muted greens; a skyline defined by ragged, seemingly impregnable mountains. I did not consider it a place I might...

McClendon property north of the Kalamazoo River I have a dream that one day I can hike the trails threading through the parabolic dunes of the Saugatuck State Park and photograph life from the highest peak of a forested backdune to the clear, clean riverbed of the...

I remember his grandfatherly smile, his warm, welcoming handshake, his words of deep, personal encouragement when he heard I was writing about the Great Lakes. He made me feel as if I was a critical member of the team.  “A fanatic is one who won’t change his mind...