Easy, Pretty Hikes Near Pittsburgh! Looking for some great hiking in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, within an hour of Pittsburgh? Want options good for the whole family, from kids to adults? Think beyond Ohiopyle to explore the easy and gratifying options at Linn Run State Park and Forbes State Forest in Ligonier, PA!… [Read More]
Life Lessons: Better Living in 35 Actionable Ideas!
What Does Improving Lives Involve? As a teacher of both adults and teens for the past 16 years, it turns out that some of the most important and impactful lessons I’ve taught have been about LIFE — not just English. For the first time, I’m compiling over 30 of my most useful tips about better… [Read More]
My Travel Photo is Now a Giant Mural at a Wegmans Grocery Store?!
How Did My Picture End Up On Huge Wall? You truly never know where your digitally published photos may wind up. You also never know what fruits your art may reap, even years down the line, when it seems everyone has forgotten about it all. To illustrate this, allow me to share the strange and… [Read More]
Smugglers’ Notch Vermont Vacation Rentals: Family Travel Bliss in a Giant Condo!
How Can Travel with Kids Be Easier? One of the hardest parts of family travel is trying to fall asleep in one tiny hotel room with your snoring — or loudly singing — children. (Nothing like the 2am “MAMA, WHEELS ON THE BUS GO ROUND AND ROUND!” game.) Thus, when I learned that Smugglers’ Notch… [Read More]
Inclusiveness, Thy Synonym is the Westmoreland Museum of American Art in Greensburg, PA!
A Master Class in How to Be Inclusive… You don’t realize how NOT inclusive much of the world is until you step into a space that actually welcomes you. Suddenly, relaxation flows. You feel comfortable, exactly as you are — no matter who you are. Can We Define “Inclusiveness?” Before we talk about this magical… [Read More]
40 Art Prompts for Drawing Inspiration from Around the World
Where do Creative Ideas Come From? I’ve been a public school teacher for 15 years (yay, high school and middle school!), and though I’m technically labeled an English or ELA instructor, I also consider myself an art teacher. What makes me an art teacher, you ask? Each and every day, and in any project in… [Read More]
