One of our apple trees was used this fall by a deer to sharpen its antlers by rubbing them on a limb. It reminds me of how people have sharpening tools for their minds as well as their physical bodies. As I am non-visual, I like to play soli...

We are fortunate to have a wonderful relief carving of my father created by Ellsworth Hathaway several years ago. My parents owned the local telephone company, and the story goes that my father used to answer children calling Santa Claus dur...

The holidays give us the opportunity to put up decorations that we have collected over the years, like the Avon Nativity that we purchased one piece at a time. In the meanwhile, we are always adding something to remember in the future. Life ...

Most everything has a story behind it, waiting to be told. Most will remain unheard, but for those willing to listen, read, watch or dig deeper into the facts, there is always something to be learned. Your story could have positive effects o...

Twenty years ago we decorated a small fir tree at the edge of the orchard and placed some fake presents in the wagon. People would come by with their pets and take pictures. Now the tree has grown too large to decorate, though the memories r...

The old wagon has been resting at the side of the orchard since we purchased the property over thirty years ago. It is my hope to have it restored someday before it rots away. I need help in doing so and have not had the funds to complete th...

The entrance to the Orchard is one of my favorite places to pause for a moment, take a deep breath of heart filled gratitude, and feel a silent connection to the Cosmos, especially when it has a soft cover of fresh snow. You can find a momen...

The snow-covered cabin waits patiently for spring, filled with dreams for the future inside. The land is quiet, except for the wind and people that may pass by on a hike or ski. It can be hard to wait for time to pass, and yet when we get th...

During this holiday season and on into January, almost everywhere I look are reminders of both my past and present reasons to celebrate with heart filled gratitude. I realize not everyone feels the same way, but Nature can us a reason to fee...

I have learned to keep watch for affirmations, signs that let me know I am being watched over and guided along my soul’s path. Some of my signs are hearts like the ones I recently saw in the fresh snow; some are wildlife, pennies face up, an...

Recently my wife purchased an inexpensive oversized ring full of bling. She also bought a very bright, blinking snowflake to hang in the window to brighten up the holiday season. For me that bling is filled with gratitude, like meeting someo...

As I travel the old road on fresh snow, I wonder if I remember what it was like to travel by horse drawn sleigh or a team of oxen. I think we all have feelings of the past, either pleasant or negative. Are they real or just a fantasy? You ca...

In any band or group, the first step is to learn how to play together. At first one hears only hears oneself. It takes time to realize that a group is a blend of many different sounds or talents. If all of them are turned on at the same time...

Now that there is snow on the ground the turkeys have one or more birds that keep watch over the flock by roosting high up in a tree where they can spot predators. I am reminded that people have something spiritual watching over them. Enough...

Nature gave us about 9 inches of fresh snow, and the driveway turned to ice after being plowed, and that required us to spend a couple of hours sanding to make it passable. We were greeted with a beautiful sunset to help ease the complicatio...

We have several varieties of winter birds at our feeders throughout the season. The other day I noticed a different pair of birds that seemed to be a long way from their natural habitat: Carolina wrens, probably blown here by a storm. Unexpe...

All indications are that we will have a white Christmas here in the mountains of New Hampshire. I am reminded that when we think of something in the future as already happening, we are sending out an energy that is manifesting what we are dr...

I still believe in Santa Claus, and I have one that has a special place in my heart. It is one my wife made years ago and donated to a church sale. A few years ago, I found it for sale again for 25 cents. I call it a Christmas miracle. Today...

Today is the first day of meteorological winter. Those who haven’t gone south to escape the cold are hunkered down for expected storms ahead while others are embracing the cold. The weather is a part of all our lives, and I choose to be grat...

When I gazed out the window at a tree with two burls growing close to each other, I could see faces: one a profile and the other looking right at me. I wondered if anyone else could see the same thing. I have learned that there are no two pe...

Mount Washington stands proud and tall as it displays its nearly record setting snowfall for the month of November. Our view is different from others’, and it is always changing. There are people that stand tall above others that silently go...

We are fortunate to receive many acts of kindness every day. Often it is someone’s kind supportive word, and the other day a young lady connected to the Center brought her leaf blower and proceeded to spend the day clearing our lawn. Another...

Thanksgiving is a very special day in this country to celebrate the things we are thankful for, including family and friends. I am thankful for the turkeys that find nourishment on the grounds at the Center. They help prepare the soil for ne...

There are some things I just can’t help, like taking pictures of sunsets. It is not what I do with them, as much as seeing them again. It is a positive habit that provides gratitude for my heart. Of course, we all have negative habits too, s...

Now that the leaves are gone, we discovered an old battered and torn hornets’ nest clinging onto a limb several feet above the ground. It hangs there like a ghost from the past. Many people have ghosts from past negative events in their live...