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Every family has traditions that become part of their story. For some, it’s opening pajamas on Christmas Eve. For others, it’s camping every Memorial Day or baking grandma’s pie every Thanksgiving. This year, our family is beginning a new tradition that I hope our daughter remembers long after she’s grown. We’re calling it The Fall Forage. It isn’t about avoiding someone else’s traditions. It’s about intentionally creating one of our own. What Is the Fall Forage? The Fall For

Camping with a Baby: Our Woodland Adventure Essentials There’s something magical about introducing a little one to the outdoors. The smell of pine trees, crackling campfires, tiny pebbles tucked into little pockets, and sleepy campfire snuggles quickly become the memories you’ll treasure most. After a few camping trips, I’ve learned that packing a few thoughtful essentials makes all the difference. These are the things that always find their way into our camper. 1. A Portab

People occasionally ask where I find the reference material for my woodland paintings. The short answer is: I married a Montana man. My husband is in the mountains as often as life allows. He scouts, studies terrain, sets up trail cameras, camps and quietly gathers information for his next hunt. These are serious expeditions involving maps, weather patterns, animal tracks and carefully chosen observation points. I use them to photograph flowers. While he surveys the landscape

How My Watercolor Pet Portraits Began Long before I ever painted pet portraits professionally, I painted them for friends. As a veterinary technician, I’ve had the privilege of helping families welcome new puppies and kittens into their homes, celebrate remarkable recoveries, and, sometimes, say goodbye to beloved companions. When you work in veterinary medicine, you quickly discover that every pet is loved—but every so often there is one that becomes someone’s heart dog

Some of the things I create begin with a sketch. Some begin with a piece of velvet or linen. The memory bears began with a conversation. A friend from work knew I loved to sew and asked me a question I had never been asked before. Her grandfather had passed away several years earlier. Each member of the family had kept one of his shirts as a reminder of him, but the shirts had remained folded away in closets and drawers. She asked, "Could you turn them into bears?" I had neve

Some people decorate with pumpkins. Some people buy another throw blanket they absolutely do not need. And then there are the people who quietly tuck tiny woodland acorns into every corner of their home until visitors begin asking, "Wait...was that acorn there before?" If that sounds like you, welcome. Here are a few favorite places to let little minky acorns wander this autumn.