For as long as I remember, the thought of time slipping away like sand through my fingers has always unsettled me. On a trip across the world, it can be even harder to stay present in the moment without getting caught up in where you are heading next or how quickly the days are passing. … Continue reading Lessons from the Strait of Magellan
We had a big drive to get to El Chaltén, Argentina, a young town that was only just founded in 1985 during border disputes in the mountains it was nestled beneath. After three hours in the car and our first border crossing (which was completed entirely in Spanish), we reached a crossroads: continue on the … Continue reading Arriving in Argentina & Turning 30
January 3, 2025 Our plane touched down more than 6,000 miles away from home, and the thrill of wanderlust was already fire in my veins. I looked out the window at the treeless landscape, a rugged expanse of wind and ocean waves. Hundreds of miles away, granite peaks & spires loomed over glacial lakes, arid … Continue reading Patagonia: Navigating Our Trip of a Lifetime
I never wanted to visit the tropics. Throughout my life, the threat of heat, humidity, and who-knows-how-many venomous snakes, spiders, and insects lurking in the foliage were all reason enough to keep my wanderlust-filled heart far away from any equatorial rainforests. Even as a child, I imagined poison dart frogs leaping from the trees to … Continue reading Stepping into the Rainforest in Costa Rica
I recently found a photo of John and I during our winter in Aspen—I had shared it on Facebook at the time. In the photo, we are standing on our new (to us) cross country skis on the Forest Service road we lived along, a steep forested mountainside behind us, leaning into each other and … Continue reading Embracing the True Meaning of Adventure at Solstice
It's far easier to come up with excuses not to do something than reasons to go for it. Sure, sometimes there are legitimate obstacles standing in our way, and other times, it just doesn't pan out. But I believe we would be shocked to realize the amount of time that we are simply holding ourselves … Continue reading Into the Unknown: My Week as a Naturalist on an Alaskan Disney Cruise
John & I set off on our two-day journey on Friday morning, packed and ready for the longest bike ride either of us had ever done. Our destination: Mounds View Grassland, a property owned and managed by The Prairie Enthusiasts that was sure to have specialist grassland bird species I would have a hard time finding by bike in Madison. Still, it was 35 miles away.
Green birding relies on human-powered transportation, making it carbon neutral. The only rule is each birding trip must start and end from a home base, usually your place of residence.
When was the last time you were told a story? Sharing stories is an art that is nearly as old as humanity. They can send our minds racing with excitement, our hearts pounding in suspense, our spirits aching for love. And yet, many of us still underestimate the weight that words can carry. Stories can … Continue reading The Legend of Holger Danske, a Grandfather’s Legacy, and the Power of Stories
I stare at the cards in front of me—78 of them, to be exact. Each one is adorned with bold, colorful illustrations, along with a single word. Words like mindfulness, generosity, compassion, and order. Each of these signify a value — a belief or principle that we believe is important to guiding the way that … Continue reading Reflections on Solstice: Living a Life of Values
The Curiosity Chronicles 