Also known as: winter sowing One impossible thing I did was work with a five-year-old on a project that I cared about! I have been...

This is real life, after all He's a "small guy," not a baby and not a big kid. My second-born says he's a "small guy" or a "small boy." ...

The story and the recipes behind two enriched doughs, from South Dakota and Costa Rica My Grandma Jarratt's caramel rolls, being made by...

From Crimea and Sweden to South Dakota to Nicaragua and Costa Rica My dear sons - Today in the Spanish class that I’m teaching at Indiana...

A tribute to my mother-in-law for Costa Rican Mother’s Day, August 15, 2021. Mothers-in-law might have a bad reputation, except for in...

My first post on New Backwater was on August 8, 2020. On this last week of the first year, I look back, and look ahead. Soooo many...

Holding one of Grandpa’s hands was always a thrill, knowing that I was holding the smooth strong hand of one of the handsomest farmers in...

While I have had moments in my life where I would have avoided Amazon in the first place, this moment is not one of them. But I'm...

Beyond my sleep-stealing babies, I have been thinking about fatigue and solidarity related to other events, both long-term and current. I...

En mi caso, mis padres guardaron mi pasado en su sótano. Los refugiados no pueden darse ese lujo. English version here. Belky Hernández...

In my case, my parents guarded my past in their basement. Refugees don't have that luxury. Versión en español aquí. Belky Hernandez...

Two local high school students gave me great parenting advice in a context where white-supremacy is real: listen to my kids, and talk...

It's time for the Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb 12-15, 2021). I'll be spending at least 15 minutes during that time looking for birds...

En este mes del amor y la amistad, necesitamos escuchar a los demás. Pero también, por un tiempo, estoy tratando de implementar lo que...

In this month of love, we need to listen to others. But now for a time I’m also trying to practice what my friend Julio does – turn off...

Announcing an exciting new partnership with Pri Montano, my friend and amazing home chef / Anunciando una nueva asociación emocionante...

Our future is upon us, and it might not look exactly like we had hoped when we rang in the New Year less than two weeks ago. Holding my...

Sandhill cranes travel hundreds of miles, but they stop (by the tens of thousands) to socialize, eat, and rest. You and I can go far,...

While the future is uncertain, we can plan ahead to have a few tools in place to take care of ourselves, and remind ourselves to reach...

En un mundo complicado, podemos trabajar para sanar las divisiones, aprender de los demás y encontrar el equilibrio. La vista desde mi...