My husband, Christian, is an asbestos consultant who performs building inspections. Recently he performed an inspection for the demolition of a nice, but somewhat neglected 1950′s residence overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Southern California (Pacific Palisades). The house had last been a rental property until it was purchased (for $1.8 million) by the new owners [...]

Two months ago my daughter Jenna and I were very very saddened when our cat Buddy disappeared while I was away on a trip and he was spending time at another house.   I was very concerned because he went missing 10 miles or so from where we live.  He was already missing four days before [...]

♥ Life gives us myriad golden moments which we in our ignorance hail “miracles”; but the wise know that they are simply love, and that love is and will always be.

I have had chronic disabling back pain for years. In order to get relief, massage therapy on a weekly basis was a way of life since the 80′s, until I met a healer here on Maui. For four years, she helped me in ways beyond healing the physical pain and now my back has been [...]

First Time Among the Bees I had spoken to Ian several times by phone – a clipped English accent and a fairly brusque manner. He was going to sell us bees at a reasonable price, but we didn’t know what to expect. Was all of this going to be a rip-off, poor quality stock to [...]

In the Winter I choose not to vacuum/clean my car, mostly ‘cuz I’m lazy and don’t want to get cold/wet/etc.  I’m sure you understand how many small pebbles/dirt/leaves collected on the floor. Finally the weather turned warm enough for me to get the vacuum out and commit to the chore. When I opened the driver’s [...]

♥ The miracles of nature do not seem miracles because they are so common. If no one had ever seen a flower, even a dandelion would be the most startling event in the world.

Grace can come in many forms, but is especially welcome in the form of our friends. For many years I have had a friend with whom I would go into and out of touch. A couple of years ago she re-entered my life as a consultant in my business at a very difficult time for [...]

In 1999 we were in an upward spiral to infinite financial independence due to our investing in a foreign bank which yielded enormous returns. My beloved and I watched this growing abundant horizon with excitement and humble gratitude for the blessing of this fortune. We embarked upon many life-style changes including a full year of [...]

Several years ago I lived in an old farmhouse, along a river, in Eastern Washington. I taught at a university, and was renovating the house with my husband. It seemed an idyllic life, and yet I felt a deep sadness because I couldn’t admit that I had made a terrible mistake in my marriage.