Summer Entries Cycling Seasons G Friday, September 23rd, 2011 All summer and autumn, we’ve been riding our home-built road bikes several times a week. These excursions have usually taken the form of early morning rides—a refreshingly familiar way to st... Making Friends in Vermont G Friday, September 16th, 2011 With light hearts, we're heading north towards the Middlebury area to meet our kayaking friend, Sue. The drive is a pleasure; the sun is out, the landscape is verdant and hilly pastureland, and the ... New Morning Routines G Tuesday, August 16th, 2011 Tyler: I started researching road bikes long before we came home, inspired by the idea of taking daily rides on bicycles that weighed about a fifth what our loaded touring rigs do. I ordered the fi... Building Road Bikes G Wednesday, August 10th, 2011 When Tyler started talking about getting road bikes, I was dubious. We already have nice bicycles, I pointed out, unsure why exactly we needed two more. Undeterred by my doubt, he promised that we ... Morning Mist on the Hills of Ohio G Monday, August 1st, 2011 When my eyes flutter open, it's 5am, and a foggy, billowing mist has enveloped our tent. We haven't begun the day like this since Romania! With some pestering, Tyler eventually joins me in wakefuln... Ingrid & Yves in Amish Country G Sunday, July 31st, 2011 We've driven all night and all morning. Gone are the cool days of green New England, exchanged for the heat and rolling hills of rural Ohio. Windows open, driving westwards, it feels like like we'r... Summer Day with Eliza & Mike: Part Two G Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 Hours after walking in the woods, when our berry-picking snack had worn off, we were all hungry for dinner. Tyler and I wanted to visit one of Maine's quintessential eating establishments for our fi... Summer Day with Eliza & Mike: Part One G Tuesday, July 26th, 2011 Yesterday, we picked up Mike and Eliza from the Portland bus station and met our internet-friends for the first time in real life! This morning, Eliza prepared a massive breakfast of waffles and gar... The Good Life G Monday, July 18th, 2011 Today, we were on a mission to do two things. First, check out the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland, and second, visit Helen and Scott Nearing's homestead in Harborside, Maine. But before we did a... Sailing in Maine G Saturday, July 16th, 2011 Back in February of 2009, while Tara and I were preparing to leave the country, our friend Kit was seriously considering quitting her job to enroll in a boat-building apprenticeship. While we were o... Farm Hopping G Friday, July 15th, 2011 So far, the highlight of house-sitting in Maine has undoubtedly been our daily excursions into the surrounding countryside to buy food. There are literally a dozen (maybe more) small farms and homes... Leap PG Wednesday, July 13th, 2011 Tyler makes it look so easy, climbing over the guard-rail with a rakish grin on his face, peering down at the river far below, with a hint of nervousness glinting in his eyes. The twinge of apprehen... House-Sitting in Maine G Monday, July 11th, 2011 A month or so before we returned to the US, we learned that our friends Mike and Eliza were looking for someone to take care of their cat while they went on vacation. We immediately jumped at the ch... Our First Garden: Part One G Sunday, July 3rd, 2011 When we arrived in Minnesota last month, we spent most of our free time in my mother's giant garden. She wasn't going to plant much of anything this year, until Tara and I offered to help. Ever sin... Smoke & Fire G Friday, June 17th, 2011 This summer, the smell of cut grass and fresh peas plucked straight from the vine has been infused with the scent of smoke. There have been quick dinners of vegetable kebabs, hot off the grill, made... Prairie Fruits Farm G Tuesday, June 14th, 2011 It is unseasonably cool today, breaking a string of typically-sweltering Midwest summer afternoons. We've decided to take advantage of the inviting weather with a short bike ride. Cycling out of to... Foraging for Mulberries G Friday, June 10th, 2011 My dad, thoughtful guy that he is, came home from a bike ride yesterday with a sketch of our neighborhood, outlining a route to the exact locations of four nearby mulberry trees, which he knew to be ...