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The Poinsettia

I’m killing it. Slowly . . . hour by hour. The poinsettia sits on the floor of the basement utility room. Its once festive red petals, now wilted from lack of water and sunlight, torment me. Back in December, with…

The Creepy Marsupial

At 7:15 p.m. my dog dashes from the living room to the back porch barking. I follow, egging her on. “Is the marsupial coming in for the night?” My dog woofs back. I grab the flashlight I keep handy and…

Looking for Romance?

Seductive bird songs filter in through my office window. It’s Valentine week, and love is in the air. If you’re looking to add romance to your date, use these ten tips from nature. Tip #1 is to take advantage of…

Pura Vida

Pura Vida by Amy Laundrie   Tired of the sub-zero temperatures and shoveling snow? Take a mental break and journey along with me through the hot, humid jungle. Wake up to freshly brewed Costa Rican coffee. Stroll along the emerald…

Swinging with Tarzan and Jane

I stepped carefully onto the swaying suspension bridge that would take me 300 ft. across a stretch of misty northern Costa Rican jungle. Towering trees dripped with moss and dangly, snake-like vines. The man ahead of me carried impressive photography…

Love of the Country, Heritage, People

Scarlett O’Hara had her Tara, Heidi had the Swiss Alps, I have my midwestern corner of America, and my Norwegian relative has his beloved Brønnøysund. When my husband and I visited my 80-year old relative, Per Moen, and his American…

Josie the Cockapoo Gets Her Say

Finally! I’ve been asking Mom-Amy if I could write a column and after three months of whining, she finally gave in. I’m Josie, a cockapoo, and head of the Laundrie household. My parents picked me out because my tail never…

The Power of Story

“They did what?” I leaned closer straining to hear my elderly aunt’s thin voice. “Your dad and Uncle Wally took three young great horned owls from a nest and raised them.” I shouldn’t be surprised. Wisconsin farm boys in the…

All Forward in the New Year

“All Forward!” The command came from James, our whitewater rafting guide. Our inflatable rubber boat was nearing Hell’s Hole, a Class IV rapids with a five-foot drop. The Menominee River had swollen after recent rains and James’s six inexperienced rafters…

Money Well Spent

A while back friends and I sat at a restaurant enjoying breakfast and discussing the Powerball which had risen to over $750,000,000. “Oh, how I’d love to win,” one friend said, clasping her hands. “I’ve never bought a ticket,” I…

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