One of the most beautiful parts of living in Japan has been learning Ikebana, the traditional Japanese art of flower arranging. I’ve been taking classes since arriving here, and it’s become one of the most peaceful and rewarding parts of my week. It’s not just about arranging flowers—it’s a practice in intention, balance, and creativity …
I almost didn’t go. Winter peonies? It sounded like a contradiction. But my ikebana teacher mentioned them, and then my dear friend Chloe was so determined to visit that we pulled each other there. And I’m so grateful we did. My Middle Little (10) came along, and to my delight, loved them just as much …
The Gulf Coast is the natural home of many of the world’s carnivorous plants. These Gulf Coast Pitcher Plant bogs are unique habitats that exist nowhere else on earth. Pitcher plants bloom in the spring, but even a fall visit or winter visit to the Weeks Bay Pitcher Plant Bog can be spectacular. Our visit …
The Highline 179 packs a punch for a roadside stop. Enjoy a moderate hike, the bridge, a castle, a museum and a playground. Plus, we stayed overnight at the hotel bellow the bridge.
I could honestly visit Keukenhof Tulip Gardens over and over, so when our spring schedule required a third visit I was pretty excited. My parents were in town so the Little Little and I accompanied them on a visit to Keukenhof in April. You might wonder how I could visit the gardens for a third …
It has been a year of spring visitors which means lots of visits to the tulip garden, Keukenhof. We hit the timing just about right by visiting Keukenhof in April. This time around we attempted an afternoon visit and took the boat ride through the flower fields. In 2016, 2017 and in March we visited …
Everyone always wants to know “when is the perfect time to see the tulips in the Netherlands?” It is a difficult question, but one I receive every year. The thing is, the tulip bloom is dependent on weather and soil moisture. Unless you live nearby it can be difficult to plan to visit at the …
We opted to spend an afternoon exploring Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France. The drive was a bit of a backtrack but sitting in the RV we realized how close we were and that everything would be in bloom. We knew we had to go and in travel with kids, when you get the feeling it’s …
When you’re living in the Netherlands you can’t miss a flower season, even if a trip to Keukenhof is considered “touristy.” This year my mom and her friend came into town to see the blooms and I was more than happy to show them around. With my Big Little in school for the day, I …
It is flower season in the Netherlands! This weekend we packed up the car, complete with our bikes and headed to Keukenhof. On this visit we skipped the garden itself and instead paid the €6 to park the car and ride our bikes from there. There are plenty of other places to park your car …